They Call Me Kain
by Kain DeLuman
Summary: The first book of the Light of Dawn series, is finished. A story of Kain and his adventures trying to bring forth a brand new day unto a world full of darkness.
1. They Call me Kain

They Call Me Kain

Note: Most persons, places, and things in this fanfic are probably owned by

Squaresoft inc. so please don't sue. They call me Kain 

My name is Kain, that's not always what people called me though.Before I joined the ranks of the Baronian Dragoons I was known by another name.Someone once told me though that that name which I had was that of a coward's and not of a warrior's; so on that day I decided to become Kain.Unlike most Dragoons who armed themselves with swords and shields I took up the spear; some people told me I was being a fool, because only useless grunts used spears. I didn't listen to them, you see I heard one day that the ancient Dragoons and the first Dragoon and all of the True Dragoon carried lances and spears with them into battle.When I heard this, I knew that was the weapon for me to take up.

One thing about me that you must understand is along the road to becoming a Dragoon I learned one simple truth, trust no one.Through 10 years of living as a Dragoon in Baron I became the second in command of the dragoons and one day my master the head of all Dragoons died, and I took his place.For my first mission as head of all Dragoons.The mission I was on took me near the heartland of Fabul, with three other Dark Knights and five more Dragoons, one of these dark nights was an up an coming man named Cecil, he was the man that broke my philosophy in two.After about days of the mission we where ambushed by 15 of Fabul's near-legandary Karate masters.Everyone there died except Cecil and I, he only suffered a cracked rib, I did far worse though.Cecil saw that I was still alive though, so he dragged me into a nearby forest where he protected me until I was well enough to make it back to where the air-ship would pick us up.

After this experience I realized two things, one I had life-debt to Cecil, and two I needed more training.So I took leave from Baron, to train on my own terms but, I promised that I would come back, and every Dragoon there knew that my word was my life.I went to the high mountains north of Baron, there I trained from sunup to sundown only giving myself breaks to eat, drink, and sleep.One day though I realized though that I could never succeed unless I was willing to sacrifice every thing, to surrender completely to everything and everyone; that day I jumped off of the cliff, only to be blown straight back up and dropped on a nearby cliff.During that time I could feel the wind cradling me, and empowering me, I could feel it's power, and it said to me as it raised me up. "You are, our son.Jump and we are there."From that day forward every time I jumped the wind caught me brought me up on high and dropped me to dive as swift as justice.With that I thought that I had trained as much as I could, and I scaled down the mountain back to the city of Baron.

The first thing I did when I got back was to find out what had happened to Cecil in those three frozen years I had spent up in the mountains.What I heard was that he had been given command of the Red Wings, the barionian air force, a few seconds later I saw him walking through the halls with the captain of the guard, Banon.I followed them until they entered the Throne room.There in the anteroom I waited patiently at the door I put my ear against it and I heard the King and Cecil arguing over the taking of the Crystal of Water from the city of mysidia.I decided to help my only friend convince our beloved King of his error, and also that Cecil was still loyal, only concerned.However, after two seconds of my carefully thought through dialogue the King commanded me to be quite.Then he gave us, as penance I though at the time, the chore of delivering a package to the village of Mist.I obeyed, though I was confused as to whom to give it to, but I soon realized that that did not matter.After defeating a Mist Dragon in the cave that lead us to the Mist village, we arrived only to have the "package" open itself as we entered the center of town.Before I realized what was going on the entire village was on fire, though it wasn't natural fire, nor was it the kind of fire conjured up by black magi, no this fire was created by demons that sprang forth from the package.Cecil and I realized what was going on, Mist was famous for it's summoners (those that could call forth beasts to fight for them at will) though these summoners opposed the Baronian Empire.I saw them battling the demons that I had let loose upon this village, I fought the demons in the town with Cecil at my side, soon though Cecil spotted a small girl about to be consumed by the flaming wrath of a demon.Though before we arrived she summoned a great giant to save herself, the giant slammed it's fist into the ground causing the earth to quake and shiver, that was the last thing that I truly remembered before Cecil woke me up in the tower of Zot.

Though, I do remember bits and pieces of my time in between these two long separated dates.One vivid memory was waking up to see a giant figure of a man standing before me, he was covered with black armor as dark as midnight; I remember he called himself, Golbez, though I simply called him master.Another thing I can remember was inside of the palace in Fabul, the Baronians had just laid siege there and I was to capture the crystal of air inside.As soon as I reached the crystal's throne, there he was waiting for me looking at me like I was the scum of the world, my veins coursed with hate for that man, and his soon-to-be wife Rosa, how she found him I knew not.He talked to me as though we were friends, I would have no part of it.I leaped through the near roofless throne room and flew down upon Cecil, my spear thrust through his chest made me laugh.Then I realized that behind me my master had entered.I bowed before him as I though the entire world should and I watched him dispatch the infidels who stood by that now near-dead Cecil.I watched and grinned as my master took the object of Cecil's affection with him, she kicked and she screamed, but his grip, I knew, was that of icy stone; for before, I had felt it myself.The next blotched out memory is that of myself meeting Cecil on board an airship that he had just captured with the help of that traitor Cid, the so called master engineer of Baron.I could be wrong, but I think I arrested him personally.Cecil looked different know though, instead of being covered in the gothic plate of a Dark Knight, he was know in a glowing, haloed looking piece of mail, and his helm did not cover his face like it used to.I then looked at Cecil's newly revealed face, which I had never even seen before, and told him the orders that my master had for him.He and his "friends" were to bring the Crystal of Earth from Toria to my master in exchange for his, beloved.He looked at me, nodded his head in recognition of the offer and then he shouted futilely at me, "Wake up Kain!"

The next thing I knew I was in the Tower of Zot helping Cecil and his friends defeat the Fiend of the Wind that called herself Valvolas.After we defeated her was when I first realized what I had done, what I had been thinking.At that point I was willing to hand over my life to Cecil, for I had life-debt to him and I betrayed him.So to help purge my sins as best as I could I went with him to the underworld in order to help him combat the forces of my former master.There I met Rydia, the girl who had caused the terrible calamity in Mist.I nearly wept when I saw her, but then I remembered that I could not weep for I had no emotion left in me. 

I continued to journey with the Cecil's group.After Rydia came with us, we journeyed through the Tower of Babil, and then we went through the Ruins of Eblan, to again journey through that Tower, for this time, we knew that inside was where Golbez kept all of the crystals that he had collected.After we had failed in doing that, we found ourselves an airship inside of the tower and went back to the underground to aid the dwarves more.In order to do this, we went to the sealed cave, to put the crystal of darkness, in safekeeping.

We had just captured the crystal and were leaving the cave when I heard him call out to me, "Kain, Kain, Bring me the crystal."I heard the voice over and over in my head a hundred times, but before I could realize anything that I was doing I had taken the crystal and had run with it to Golbez's waiting arms.I had betrayed the only man I had ever trusted for the second time.

The next thing that I knew I was within the Giant of Babel.That was what the eight crystals unlocked when brought together, a war machine that's only mission was to wipe away all shreds of human life on the planet.Though, suddenly, like lightning crashing through my skull I was released from Golbez's grasp.I ran from the control room to see what was going on only to find the burnt and smoldering remains of the Giant's CPU in front of me; and in front of it, was Cecil and his companions, and behind it the man who was now the sum of all my hatred, and wishful ness for vengeance, Golbez.He was talking with a man who didn't look like any human I had ever seen, later I learned that this was FuSoYa, the Lunarian.I was about to pounce on this being of pure evil when I realized that it was not the dark Golbez of death, chaos, and darkness standing before me.This was a man who had just awakened from a long sleep just like I had.I stood back as the Lunarian and Golbez walked right by me and to the only way out.I yelled at Cecil to follow me to safety, for the giant without its CPU would soon explode.He and the rest of his companions looked at me with contempt in their eyes.Though they must have realized that, like Golbez, I had just woken up as well.They followed me and I was proud of the fact that I lead them to safety.When we had reached a nearby airship commanded by none other than Cid himself I informed them of what happened to me and they in turn told me of what had happened to them.They had found a ship, called the big whale, which could take them to the place where the Lunarians lived; our second moon, the one that looked a giant ruby.I learned that there, one Lunarian had seized control of everything and wished to exterminate all humans on earth so that they could live on our earth.This Zemus as he was called was the one that had controlled myself, along with Golbez.At this point my heart cried out for justice, retribution, vengeance, and above all else, revenge.

I went into the heart of the big whale and traveled with my friends to what we had thought was the Earth's second moon.Though as soon as I came out onto the moon, I saw how barren, desolate, arid, dry, and nearly uninhabitable it was.Though I put these thoughts away for this moment.When the Big Whale landed on the Ruby Moon we made our way to the place where the Lunarians lived.There the once marvelous city had been transformed into a hideous dungeon, filled with the most vile, evil, hideous demons that I had ever seen, and I thought up to that point that I had seen them all.The further we went into this palace of darkness the more I could hear what I thought sounded like heartbeats.The closer to the core of this moon I got soon I could hear it as if it were mine own, but the rest of these weary travelers could not.Closer and closer we traveled to the core of our problems, the core of evil, the core of the moon, and the closer we came the fiercer the demons became, it soon became obvious to me that the beating was that of his heart, and I could hear that we were getting closer.Then at last we came to the core itself, before us stood three men, Golbez, FuSoYa, and Zemus.Golbez and FuSoYa let loose their strongest magics at Zemus but, to no avail.Then they let loose a spell together combining the holiest of white magics and the deadliest of black magics, it was called the white meteo.We thought this defeated him But, then he awoke and transformed into something hideous.Golbez was forced to unleash a new power, which originated from a crystal.Then Zemus laughed and shouted, "You, the one of darkness, you cannot wield the sacredness of the crystal, you are mine!"Zemus unleashed his full fury and everyone including myself was left unconscious and maybe fallen to the grave.

Though suddenly I was awake.I looked around and noticed that everyone was except Golbez and FuSoYa, and we were all looking at Cecil; he was holding the crystal and was glowing with a sacredness all his own.He let loose the sacred power of the crystal on Zemus and this time it took effect; turning the evil Zemus, into the embodiment of evil, Zeromus, the crystal made him show his true colors.He was a demon true, and true.We battled him for what seemed like ages, but the demon did die at our feet like all the others we had encountered.We traveled back to our Earth with the big whale, but the moon called out to me with its bleakness and despair, the exact match to what was in my heart.Though I went back to Earth all the same, I didn't even deserve the bleakness, I had betrayed the only man I had ever trusted the one I held life-debt to, thrice.Once when I nearly killed him at Fabul, twice when I thought of trying to take the most precious part of Rosa, and Thrice when I took the crystal of Darkness from him at the sealed cave.

When we got back to Earth I took my leave of this group that I had been traveling with.For they were all returning to their own lives, in their own places of living, but I had no place to return to.I had no home, no family, no real friends in my own mind, I didn't even have honor for my soul was so coated with sin.All that I had was the armor of the True Dragoon, and the Lance of White.

I wandered throughout the Earth never stopping in one place longer than it took me to lie down and rest for the night.The world was peaceful now though.With Cecil on the Baronian throne and Rosa as his queen they had formed an alliance of the ten nations.Soon everything on the planet was dominated by one part of this Alliance or another, and because of that peace prevailed.Though I was still a warrior, a Dragoon, and there is so little for a warrior to do in a world of total peace.One day when I was standing on the mountainside looking at the world around me, I took off my mask to look with pure vision that was when I came to the conclusion that I was not a true Dragoon yet, and that I had done everything but one, in order to become that true Dragoon.So for three days I meditated on the top of the largest peak in the world, the wind hollered and I could here the voices of thousands, millions, tens of millions of people from across the Earth. This must be the center of the winds, I decided, this is the point where all wind is brought back and carried from.

Standing up after these three days brought it's own pain, both physical and mental.I jumped off of the peak and onto onto a flat plain below, but I could still here everything that I heard back on the peak.Everywhere I went the voices they followed me they were driving me crazy, I couldn't even sleep.For what seemed like an eternity, I wandered, trying to get rid of the voices, suddenly though before me I saw a statue of a man in wearing armor and mask, carrying a spear, all exact to mine; he looking up towards the winds.The voices stopped when they saw him.I kneeled before this great statue not just because of my realization that this must be the legendary First Dragoon, but also because of the release of my mind from the voices.I looked up again at the statue, but my eyes stopped at the base.There I noticed something inscribed in the bottom in an ancient tongue, but one that had been taught to me."To those he who reads this, know that you have been broughten here by the winds, and the winds alone.They spoke to you, guiding you to me.Know now that all you must do now is awaken me from my slumber."I stood up and stared at the statue and then I remembered the ancient oath of the Dragoon.I spoke it before him, "Dien ty uinz, Dien hbain, Dien Yallgr, Task bva omnia mori temble do ya vall ya ua Medus."After I spoke the words, all I could see was a blinding light and I heard a great voice from on high, calling me. "Kain, Kain, you are Dragoon now and for all time, take off your mask, know that you are no longer who you were.For you have lived two lives, forget them both.For now I give you your third.Your hands are cleansed, go and live not the life of the warrior you think you are, but as the Dragoon, you know you are.Embrace it for the world changes everyday.And the weak and innocent are always in need of protection."

The light was gone and I was standing before Cecil in the forest where he had healed me.Then I was in the village of Mist, an Inferno surrounding me.Then I was in the Crystal's throne in Fabul, Cecil with me spear thrust through him before me.Then I was on an airship speaking to him of Rosa.Then I was with Rosa and Golbez.Then I thousand more memories pilled into my head and then the light and the voice returned to me and said,"I wash your blooded hands, I bathe your mudded feet,I cleanse your soul unpure, awaken and know that your sin is forgiven.Your third life has begun."I screamed for what I had been washed, bathed, and cleansed in, was the fires of heaven.

***

"Kain, no it can't be, what do you think?"

"No it could never be him."

"He does look like a Dragoon."

Kain then opened his eyes and asked, "Who are you? Where am I? What's going on? Tell me now!"A man and a woman were standing above him.

The man answered, "I am called Dekan, and this is Phantine.You're in the valley of Mist.And what's going on is that we are waging a war against the evil Alliance, and its tyrannical Guardian.We heard that you were buried here.I will be honest, and tell you that, we were going to take your, legendary equipment, to help us fight the Alliance.You are Kain? Aren't you?"

"Yes, they call me Kain. An evil Alliance you said; good... this will be my chance to prove that I am true Dragoon."Then I whispered to myself."I am Dragoon, always."

"Those who send reviews shall be karmicly rewarded."

-Kain DeLuman


	2. The Forsaken Fascimile

Note: Most persons places and things in this fanfic are probably owned by

Squaresoft inc. so please don't sue.

# The Forsaken Facsimile

"Well if this is my third life, let's hope it is better then the other two that

I have lived."Kain mumbled to himself as the two older teenagers helped him 

out the pit where he had laid.

As Kain got out of his grave he thanked Phantine and Dekan for their help and

then he realized that this was not the Valley of Mist that he had remembered the

walls of mountains were not nearly so high, in fact they were nothing more than

hills.The air was still misty but, the mist smelled different, it carried a

scent, which he could only describe as, unclean.He looked at the young ones,

obviously a couple just by the way they were connected even without holding on

to one and other, the same way that Cecil and Rosa had looked to him.

Phantine and Dekan were clothed very oddly.Neither wore armor either, quite

strange for two people adventuring away from civilization.It was then that he

saw the long spear on Dekan's back, he realized immediately that this boy had

heard the tales of the true Dragoon and was wanting to become a one, like

himself.When he looked to see what the Girl Phantine had equipped he was

half-expecting to see a long bow, crossbow, or even a whip like the one Rydia

used.But behind her back he saw no signs of a quiver or bow.He checked her

belt only two find two strange objects, which looked like the triggers of

crossbows, separated from the crossbow.

"How many years have passed." Silence "Answer me!"

Phantine looked startled yet understanding, "Probably about, 750 years."If it

weren't for Kain holding himself up by his spear he would have collapsed on the

ground.He should have realized this though and recovered from the shock

quickly.

"We should probably tell you what's been going on huh," Kain nodded back at

him."Well, the Alliance gave the world peace and prosperity, for about, 300

years.After that the loosely organized Alliance became much more organized and

started calling itself the World Alliance; after that the Kingdoms no longer

existed.The Alliance was under the control of three men, the Patriarch,

Matriarch, and Guardian; each were given specific duties, and people that

followed them, the Guardian had the regular army, the Patriarch all male magic

users, the Matriarch all female magic users.It was about this time that the

people started loosing some of their freedoms, and also technology advanced

considerably.After about 200 more years the Guardian declared war on the

Matriarch and Patriarch.He won the war only from the aid of the neo-paladin

though.They used small amounts of magic but, were under his control.This

completely disregarded the laws set down by the..."

"Dekan."Phantine suggestively whispered.

"Sorry, well after that one Guardian after another has been ruling this world

with an iron fist.And no one is allowed to use any magic except those directly

under the Guardian.Those that are found with magic inborn with them have it

taken away by a machine that they call a 'de-toxifier' in fact most people think

that's exactly what it is, but we've found out the truth.We wish to stop these

things and I hope you can see why."He could, though he had never been able to

use any magic, he knew, that that was something the great maker had given to

humans and should never be taken away from anyone, under any circumstances.

Kain began to ponder everything that Dekan had said and many words that he had

used were quite new to him."You mentioned a few words that I had never heard

before.So in order to understand your peril I must ask you, exactly what is a

'technology?'"Kain asked.

"We've got a lot of work to do."Phantine whispered to Dekan, Dekan nodded.

***

Kain, Phantine, and Dekan walked for two days, in order to get to Phantine and

Dekan's hideout, so that they could think out what plans of action should be

taken.Along the way Dekan and Phantine were trying to catch Kain up with the

details of the past 750 years.Whenever they weren't talking about history that

Kain did not know about, he talked of history that he did know about.These

children didn't really even know what had really happened to anyone that he had

journeyed with before they had gone to what was then the "ruby moon".They told

Kain though that after about 25 years the moon just drifted off on it's own;

apparently going completely out of the solar system.

Once they had reached the small hideaway Kain, was pretty much up to speed. 

But there were still many questions he had to ask."Tell me what happened to

all of the demons and monsters that used to use these open fields like we use

thoroughfares."

"Back when the Global Alliance was three parts, the Guardians were able to use

their forces to completely eliminate all existing demons and monsters, and after

a while they were also able to root out all of the existing dens and hatcheries

that they used for breeding."Dekan stated.

"But what about the ones within the Underdark."

"Underdark?oh, oh, you mean the underground.Well from what I know

everywhere down there is good too, although from what I here most dwarves have

it worse than us."

"Even the called monsters!"

"The what?"

"The called monsters, you know the ones callers summon."

"I've never heard about that, Kain."

Phantine then in realization added."If the callers had anything to do with

magic then even the records about them have been erased, probably along with the

callers themselves."

"I doubt that."Kain added."From what I understood of rumors from back in my

time, Rydia brought the strongest remaining Callers to live with her in the

Underdark."

"Hmmm." Was all that both Phantine and Dekan added.

"Tell me," Kain said."How did you two obtain all of this information about

magic and sorcerers and other histories which you had said were gone forever. 

Or at lest forbidden by this 'Guardian.'"

"Both of us used to be workers within the grand Library of Damcyan, that's the

only library that has access to those works."Phantine said proudly."We both

used to read the texts when no-one was watching.One day we found each other

doing the same thing.From that day we made it our mission to find and record

all of the lost history we could find.We've found a lot, but with you here you

could fill us in on everything we are missing from before the coming of the

Alliance.Some people today believe that the Alliance has always existed, they

don't realize or just done care enough to think differently from what the

'Guardian' tells them."

"Why do you want to spend so much time learning history now? That can be done

after we have liberated this world."Kain asked the two.

"Knowledge is power." Phantine replied."At least that's what I've read."

"True enough," Kain said. "But, like I said we will talk about the past after

we have secured the present."

"Very well."A knock came at the door.Phantine reached for her pistols and

stepped into a small corner where it was hard to see her.Kain stood in the

corner which when the door opened would be hidden.Dekan set his spear aside

and answered the door.A man in a gray coat stepped inside.Not only was his

coat gray but it seemed to Kain that so was his face and the rest of his skin. 

Kain could sense a small hostility from this gray man, but remote enough so that

he did not have to worry about it, he signaled for Phantine to stand up and put

away her guns.Then she came out to join Dekan at the door.

"I'm the Paladin Inspector for this area, if you don't mind I'd like to ask a

few questions of everyone in here." Said the gray man.

Kain snarled and whispered to himself."That man is as much a Paladin as a

dark imp is."

Dekan answered the gray man."Come right in."

"Do you mind if I have a seat."

"Not at all."Replied Dekan as he pulled out a chair for the gray man.

"Thank you."Replied the gray man."I patrol this area of land outside of

Mist, and I noticed your hut, so I was wondering what you people were doing

outside of the city.Are you on vacation, or maybe have you decided that what

the glorious Alliance provides you within the city is not enough."

"Actually we are doing some research for the Guardian himself and we needed to

come out here for it, you know peace and quite type thing."Kain went around

behind the Gray Man.

"I see, where were you stationed before you came here, girl."

"Damcyan."

"Hmmm, I find it rather interesting that ones as young as you are personal

scholars of the Guardian, himself."Kain took his spear silently from it's

corner where he was standing.

"Well, sir, were not his personal scholars of course but we were assigned to do

reserch on the Legacy of..." The spear shot from Kains' hands and into the skull

of the gray man, as blood began to flow out of his head; Dekan and Phantine looked

horrified.

"What the hell did you do that for!?"Dekan yelled.

"He was not believing your story, when he left he would have reported this

location and us.Then brought back about a hundred of his friends with him; I'd

wager this Alliance doesn't take any chances, from what you've told me.I think

I might have been able to take them all, but not and protect you as well. 

Besides that man wasn't really living anyway.Might as well have just killed

one of the undead."With that, Cecil's words flowed into his mind.

["The Undead are the worst kinds of Demons, they are the ones who's souls have

been grabbed from them, and only the body, the shell of the man or women is

left.They should be taken out of their misery, not just to save lives that

these soulless creatures could take, but also to put them back to the eternal

slumber, where they should be.Even demons have souls, the undead do not."]

"Yes, but didn't we tell you that all of today's Paladins are brought together

by some kind of mental network.They communicate with each other by sending out

mental waves."Kain looked at Dekan confusedly."That means they can't really

talk telepathicly, but they can send emotions out to others.And there is no greater emotion

then that which comes from the terror at the end of a life.I'd wager all the

Paladins in Mist will be coming here for our heads, very, very soon."

"Well then I believe we should go.And by talking to you people I know the

exact place where we should go."

[Rydia looked at him with those large green eyes that almost matched her hair,

she wasn't as beautiful as she was cute, but Kain did enjoy her company. 

"Inside of this place time flows differently.Occasionally a day is day, but

most of the time a day is a year or a year a day."Her eyes began to sparkle as

she opened the portal that would send them to the place where the, 'called

monsters' lived.]

"What's wrong Kain?"Phantine asked."You faded out on us for a second

there."

"I was just remembering something that a friend told me once, a long time ago." 

Kain told Phantine."Dekan, I think you should know something though.That man

that I killed was not a Paladin.A Paladin is a holy warrior of the Light, a

champion of haloed causes.Not one that fears death so much that when he does

die, he let's loose a 'wave of emotional terror' or whatever you said.A

Paladin serves the light, no other and if he does not, he is not a Paladin. 

Just as a Dragoon is not a Dragoon unless he says, finds, and knows the oaths. 

Anything else is nothing more than a, forsaken facsimile."Kain stated as if it

were the most obvious thing in the world.

"I claimed to be a Dragoon."Dekan stated."And I have not sworn any oaths. 

Does that make me evil?"Dekan Demanded."Does that make me one of these,

forsaken facsimiles!?!?"

"No," Kain said calmly. "For your mistake is out of ignorance of the oaths.No

one today, besides myself, probably even knows the words let alone what they

mean."

"Will you teach me the oaths, so that I may become a Dragoon."

"I can teach you the oaths, but, that is just the first step towards becoming,

True Dragoon.You have to learn what the oath itself means though, once you

have done that you will be Dragoon, maybe not True Dragoon.But, Dragoon none

the less."

"Please then I beg of you to teach me, all that you can."Dekan begged.

"Very well Dekan, First you must take the oath.Repeat after me, Dien ty uinz,

Dien hbain, Dien Yallgr, Task bva omnia mori temble do ya vall ya ua

Medus."

"Those who write reviews shall be Karmicly rewarded."

-Kain DeLuman


	3. A Way to Remember

Note : Most persons places and things in this fanfic are probably owned by

"Square Soft inc." so please don't sue.

# A Way to Remember

"In order to create some kind of rebellion," Kain started."We need first to find some kind of ally.That ally needs only have a small amount of power, and influence.I think that in the underground we can find both power and influence.You see, from these two things and also some propaganda and genuine leadership.We may hopefully be able to raise an army of the oppressed."

Phantine looked at him quizzically."I had no idea that you were any kind of a leader, you always seemed kind of, lone wolfish, in what I had read was correct."

Kain looked at her, laughed and said, "You should have learned by now not to trust everything that you've read in books."Kain looked around for a moment, the three of them were in a sparse forest, about halfway between Mist and Baron.The trees themselves looked different from before, back in the time where he had come from.They looked almost sickly, this "poll loo shun" that Phantine and Dekan had been talking about must have been what was doing it.From what they had told him it sounded like a cancer that humans had created on the Earth, though he wasn't even sure if that was true.

Kain looked behind him to see Dekan practicing the forms that Kain had begun to teach him.The first step Kain had taken towards making Dekan into Dragoon was cutting down that damned 7-foot spear the boy had.It looked more like a lance than a spear, Kain thought.Now Dekan was using a nice piece of wood about four or five feet long.Once you put an end on it, it would be about the right length of a quarterstaff.That was how Kain taught himself the spear, with the knowledge that he already had of the quarterstaff.Kain still remembered that saying from his mother, "Even the greatest swordsman in the world was once bested by a farmer with a quarter staff."

"I was they called the leader of the Barionian Dragoons at one point you know.I had to learn a little bit of leadership, tactics, and strategy in order to command them well.Little good that did though, a group of Fabul's martial artists ambushed us and killed nearly everyone in my party.That's actually where I met Cecil you know."Kain told Phantine.

Phantine started reaching through her gear."Hold on, hold on, just let me find a pen and some paper!"

At that moment Kain realized what he was doing and promptly stood up to and walked over to where Dekan was practicing the forms.He noticed then that when Dekan tried to defend a sideswipe that he left himself wide open from the other side."Dekan, stop for a second." Dekan stooped, Kain saw him perspiring greatly.It was then that he first realized that Dekan had been practicing sense they set up the fire about an hour after dusk; that was three hours ago."Do that block again."Dekan did as Kain asked him and as he finished that blocking form Kain suddenly said, "Stop!"Dekan froze."Look at this Dekan, if I was attacking you right now, even with a sword I could come back in about a second onto your other side.You need to have the bottom of the staff more towards your right, exactly like that.Good, good, maybe there will be another Dragoon after all.Now come, sleep.A warrior is useless without the proper amount of sleep."Dekan simply nodded moved over towards the fire, and laid down.Within ten seconds he was asleep.Within another twenty seconds Phantine was over to where he was and was resting up against his side, she soon fell asleep as well; Dekan instinctively put his arm around her.Kain looked at those two and sighed.

A part within him laughed and said, "Three hours at night, one in the morning and a half during lunch.That's pathetic I did at least three times that when I was first training."Kain stopped the voice by telling it, "Yes, but we doing some hard-pressed traveling.Back when I was training I had all the free time in the world.This boy does not."The first voice muttered and backed out of his mind.Kain looked up and then back to his two companions, and sighed again.

Kain felt the wind rush beneath his feet as he jumped straight onto the tallest tree nearest him.He looked out at the hilly terrain, covered with patches of trees.And he couldn't stop saying to himself."This all used to be mountains," he said in awe."What happened to the mountains that first raised me up with the wind?Where did they go?"

***

When the three of them got out of the Mountains they arrived on a trail of sorts that lay towards the great capital of Baron.Dekan and Phantine explained to Kain that now the city was the center of the Alliance, there the Alliance knew what everyone else was doing at all times of day apparently.Kain did not believe it so though, because in every town, village, and castle there are areas of darkness where people can go who do not wish to be seen.And soldiers can be bribed to look other ways, no matter how zealous the group of them may be, one or two is always willing to bend for that extra coin.

Along the winding trail to Baron, villages sparsely populated the area.Phantine and Dekan had little or no coin with them though, so they were unable to spend the nights within the inns of these villages.Most of the time they would receive shelter in a farmer's barn house, or in a small clearing away from the road.Dekan kept up his training; he was getting surprisingly good in such a small amount of time.One day though Phantine looked at the two training with their staffs, and scoffed at them saying."You know, now a days most soldiers don't fight with shields or swords or even spears.No they fight with these."She pulled out her two pistols from their holsters."And no amount of training with a spear or quarter staff can allow you to dodge what comes out of these."She told them confidently.

Dekan acknowledged this as fact abruptly but answered her nonetheless."I learn the way of the Dragoon not because I wish to fight large groups of soldiers with it.No, I fight with this so that I may become a duelist."Phantine looked at him skeptically.

Kain faced Phantine pulled his helm down so that it appeared as a mask over his face and told her."Try me, with those."He pointed his spear towards her guns.

Phantine looked at him skeptically and practically yelled at him."What are you, nuts?I've already explained and showed you just what these can do."

Kain just nodded and told her yet again."Try me.I'll show you what True Dragoon can do."

Phantine fed up with the whole situation (Kain came to the conclusion that it must have been that time of the month) shot one of her pistols straight at Kain's shoulder knowing that at the very least that would only come to a flesh wound.But, the bullet just bounced off of this armor.Phantine and Dekan looked at him aghast."This armor can and did stop more than one behemoth's claw from going through me.It can stop a tiny bullet.Now again, shoot me."

This time Phantine did so without the smallest point of hesitation.Straight towards his chest the bullet flew.Suddenly seemingly as Phantine pulled the trigger Kain's spear spun forming what almost seemed to be a circular wall in front of him.The bullet was deflected, Kain stopped his spear and as it stopped he noticed a small scar the bullet had made on the metal shaft.He shook his head at what had happened and said."Well, hmmm, not the best idea I guess.Oh well, I guess it'll help me to remember not to do that much more.Now again."

Again the bullet came out of Phantine's pistol this time though as the bullet came out Kain leaped into the air completely dodging the bullet.He landed and looked at the shocked looks from the two teenagers.It was then that he realized he had never shown them his ability to command the winds.Kain lifted his helm off of his face and said to them."Don't ask how I did that, to be honest I am not sure I know myself.Just know that only the winds can teach you that.I'm not even sure that is something that any other Dragoon could do.So don't expect to learn that, Dekan."

The two flabbergasted teens only eyed him then after about a minute Phantine asked him."Why, how, when, tell me everything!How did you learn to do something like that?"Kain took that time to leap through the air onto the tallest tree he could find.There he used the wind to carry his message to the teens."Rest now, for we have much traveling yet to do."

***

They three entered through the huge gates and into the city of Baron.It was at least twenty times larger then the last time Kain was within the city.He and the two teenagers had decided first to obtain some false identification, then find out everything they could about the Alliance here in Baron, and finally to succor transportation to Algor. (From what Kain understood that was still the only route to the underdark.)However, the problem was that they still had no money and, like all things, things like this cost money to do.

"I know you won't like this Kain but, we could rob someone."Kain looked back at Dekan, icy death in his dark brown almost black eyes."Yeah, never mind that.But, what about the Duelist society?"Phantine scoffed at him again.

With that Kain stopped in the ally where they had been walking through.Looked back at the two teenagers and asked."What's this, duelist's society, you've spoken of."

"It's basically gladiatorial combat, Kain.Only, it's not slaves fighting gladiators.Most of the time it's two highly trained combatants, dueling for honor while people watching them place bets on who wins."Phantine explained to Kain.

"How much are they paid?" Kain said bluntly.

"It depends on how much is wagered on the bet, from what I remember it's somewhere around 15-25% of what the owner makes, but that's only if you win."

"Then we're going to one of these societies right now."Phantine opened her mouth to disagree."You've seen me.You know what I can do and thus you shouldn't worry about me making a show of myself I'll use only enough power to beat whomever it is that I am facing.That way I don't draw too much suspicion"

"All right.It's your life Kain."The three of them continued walking through the slums of Baron trying to find a society location.

Kain walked into a bar and began asking locales there for directions to the nearest duelist society.They barkeep over-heard this and waved Kain to come over. "Well you sure do look like a duelist don't you, even got a spear with you.Odd weapon, most use swords but I'm not one to tell people like you what to do." Kain looked at the barkeep contemptuously knowing that if he didn't do something the barkeep would just keep going."Oh, are you in a hurry.Sorry, just follow me."With that the barkeep walked to the back of the bar and opened a hidden doorway that opened up to a flight of stairs."Right down there, though just so you know.People ain't allowed to use armor, so you'll have to take that stuff off."Kain nodded and took off his armor, helm, boots, and gauntlets all of which made to resemble a dragon's features.Without his equipment on, Kain felt naked almost.He set them on the floor by one of the tables looked around and noticed the kind of people within the bar.

"You two, stay here and look after my gear, if there aren't too many formalities all be back in a minute or two."Luckily for Kain neither of them argued.They just sat down at the table eying everyone in the room with equal suspicion.Kain felt almost proud of the two.With that he exited the bar through the staircase, behind him the false wall closed.

When Kain reached the bottom of the stairway he entered into a large room with about 50 people standing around a fenced off circle one man was standing within, striding back and forth within like a caged lion.The barkeep came up behind Kain and told him."I'm really glad you came now, more people would have started leaving and I would have lost a lot of business.Anyway, all you have to do is enter the circle through that door right there.Then approach QT there and say this, QT I, what was your name Kain?I, Kain, challenge you to a duel.He'll say the same to you.After that you just have to wait until someone gives you the word to begin.Got it?"

Without answering Kain went through the doorway into the caged circle and stood before QT and said "I, Kain, challenge you to a duel do you accept or yield."Kain added something so that the crowd would think him someone a bit more formal.

"I, QT, accept your challenge, Kain."Kain backed off then laughed to himself, and thought, fool.

***

Kain walked up the stairs and through to the bar's entrance, with a new scar on his left arm. That man's speed had been enhanced somehow, and Kain new it, he just did not know how."Oh well" Kain thought to himself."Just something to remember today by."

As he reached the top of the staircase he could her the bartender behind him screaming. "That was the greatest duel I've ever seen.And also, the way that you two just wouldn't let up. Do you know how much money I made today, just with your duel alone?You have to come back.Please we'll make a fortune together."Kain could feel the man's greed trying to persuade him.But, as Cecil told him once."It's easier to persuade a block of ice than it is to persuade you my friend."

"No thank you, just give me my share of the profits and I'll be on my way." He had reached the top of the case and opened up the false wall into the bar.

"All right here you are, that's 60 coin for ya."

"Double it."

"What?!?!"

"You owe me at least twice that much.Now don't make me take it from your lifeless corpse."

"All right then, 120 coin."The barkeep through him a small sack with twelve 10-coin pieces.Now you come back here sometime, alight."

"Whatever."Kain replied, and then he looked over at the two teenagers instead of looking suspicious of everyone else like they had been before.Now they just looked at each other.Kain approached the two picked up all his armor and began putting it all back on.At that Phantine and Dekan stood up and looked intently at Kain, hoping that he would tell them of what happened."I won.What did you expect?"

"Yes but, why do you have that scar on your arm?"Asked Dekan.

Kain brought the two close to him and whispered."When a crowd views pain and anguish on a person they're more likely to bet on his opponent thus this cut helped us raise more money than if I had just run him through in two seconds."

With the newly earned money Kain first went out with Dekan to help him get some false identification.He sent out Phantine to find out how much it cost to get transportation to Algor, that seemed fairly simple thing to do and not much danger involved in it.

***

With fake IDs in hand Dekan and Kain walked through the aero facilities security systems.Kain and Dekan had both been forced to give their spears to security but were promised they would get them back on landing in Algor.Dekan seemed secure that this would happen so Kain wasn't going to worry.He did have to keep adjusting the trench coat he had just bought, so that it would cover him so that no one would look at him strangely for wearing armor.That had already happened with a group of those so-called Paladin's that he had encountered.He wanted so badly to slay all three of them and was forced to restrain his rage as they mocked him for wearing armor.Oh, all of these false Paladins would pay, not just for mocking him, but also for helping to blacken the memory of Cecil.

Kain and Dekan boarded the air cruiser and took their seats'.After waiting for about a half-hour Phantine finally arrived carrying papers.She sat down between Kain and Dekan and whispered to Kain."I got all the information you needed from the computer network here.I even found a couple of other things which I think you may find interesting."Kain looked through the papers and for the first time in a long while, Kain smiled.

"Those who send reviews shall be karmicly rewarded."

-Kain DeLuman


	4. The Flows

Note : Most persons places and things in this fanfic are probably owned by

Squaresoft inc. so please don't sue.

## The Flows

Kain could fell the tram going down and down into the underdark of the world.He watched as the light inside of the tram appeared, disappeared, and then suddenly appeared again.He looked at Phantine besides him; she looked so innocent and pure while she was asleep.Luckily for Kain she would probably be awake by the time they arrived it Giodd City.For Kain had woken her up once already on their journey, and that was something he was not going to do again."Giodd City." He thought."I can only assume that that was the site of what was once the capital of the dwarven kingdom."

In the back of his mind, Kain began to remember what he had told the two teenagers.["What I need for you two to do is go to this Giodd City and find the most likely person to lead the dwarfs in some kind of a revolution.See if there isn't already some kind

of rebellious group doing something.Remember one thing above all else while you are doing this though, you know the truth.The truth is an awesome weapon, when used correctly."

"Well where are you going to be doing while we try to free an entire race of slaves by ourselves?"

"I'm going to find the land of the summoned monsters.There I know I shall find support from the beings who serve bahumet, as well as those who were the former masters of Mist."

"Where is this 'land of the summoned monsters' then?"

"When I was last here it was on an island floating on top of a sea of magma."

"An island on one of the magma seas!How on earth are you ever going to get across that?"

"I plan on taking control of an air cruiser and piloting it to where I remember that island was once."

"Taking control of an air cruiser!You're mad.And you're even madder if you think that you can pilot one."

"I piloted air ships back in my day.Besides I'm a very fast learner.Now keep your voice down.Do you want everyone in the underdark to know what we're doing, because if you do...."]

A buzzer began to ring on board of the tram; Kain realized that this signaled that they had reached the bottom of the chasm.Kain looked out the window to see a great city before him, however, only most of it was great.Kain could see the slums on the west side of the hills.

Phantine and Dekan both woke up."Are we at Giodd City yet?" Dekan said groggily.

"No, from what I understand we still have about three hours till we reach there.However if you wish to get off here no one will stop you."

"Of course I don't want to get off here Kain.It's just that I haven't had a good night's sleep sense we found

you."

"I am genuinely sorry."Both Dekan and Phantine looked at him with death in their eyes."Must have thought I was being sarcastic."Kain thought to himself.

***

When they did arrive at Giodd City the Kain had to separate from Dekan and Phantine immediately.Kain reminded Dekan to practice the forms everyday, although as soon as he said that he realized that Dekan needed no reminder.Kain also gave them both a reminder to be careful, only kill when completely nessicary, and finally never make yourself noticed, never draw attention.Kain did realize though that those two could and would take care of themselves fine.He hoped he had turned them into fairly competent warriors in the space of only two weeks, but he was not completely sure.It was at that moment though that Kain realized that he had enjoyed teaching them the skills of survival that they would need.After the good-byes Kain turned around and began traveling towards the aero-facility.

Before he reached the aero-facility Kain checked part of one of the papers that he had hidden in a pocket in the back of his coat.

King Cecil Baron – Born B.A. 28Died A.A. 50

Queen Rosa Baron – Born B.A. 26Died A.A. 51

"I will avenge both of you."Kain said silently to himself; then added."If it weren't for not having emotions, I might cry for you right now."Kain took his Spear of White out from behind him then he took his Dragoon Mask out as well, and put it on so that it covered his face like a mask.

He walked into the Aero-Facility immediately there was a security checkpoint."Excuse me sir," the man behind the rail said,"You're not allowed to..." Kain leaped through the air and down onto the center of the area, as he landed he whispered to himself."Thank the light for these enormously high ceilings."At that point he heard the beginnings of an alarm and Kain decided against leaping for as long as possible though.Instead he ran like everyone else through the halls, the only difference was that he was running towards, and they were running away.

Kain ran through one of the many passageways in the facility that he hoped would lead him to an air cruiser.Suddenly though in front of him he could make out what appeared to be a giant of some sort.Looking closer at it he realized it was familiar looking, then he realized why it looked familiar as he dashed straight towards it running past laser

streaks and emission flares."How did they manage to re-create Mac giants?"Kain asked himself.

Kain leaped up, and then straight down at the giant but from another side a beam of fire hit him in the chest and he was propelled into a wall.Kain looked to see what had done this, only to see another Mac giant.The two giants began to mercilessly try to incinerate Kain with their barrages of beams and swipes of claws.Suddenly, Kain felt within him

one of the only emotions he had left, rage.

Pouring his rage into the first giant with his spear he managed to remember where some of the vital systems of the giant was, and promptly shut them down by means of plunging his spear into the circuitry.The first giant fell with a giant crash.Kain heard shouts behind him; he looked backwards for a second to see a near wall of fully armed security personel pointing their near-cannon sized guns at him.At that point Kain decided to leave.Though when he turned to go the second giant was blocking his path, he heard from behind him."Freeze and drop your weapon or we will commence firing."

Once again summoning the power of his rage, and channeling it through the powers that the wind itself had granted him, Kain leaped straight through the center of the second Giant.He landed a good 150 feet away and continued to run as he heard the giant crash to the ground.

After three more Mac giants, and four teams of security Kain finally made it to a point where he could gain access to an air cruiser.Kain rushed through the doorway and into the cruiser.Inside he was glad to find the cruiser empty.He ran to where he knew the controls of the cruiser would be.As he entered he saw the two pilots sitting in their seats

laughing and drinking coffee,"So then I sayz to Mabel I sayz...Who the hell are you!"

"Call me Kain, now start up the engine and teach me how to fly this thing, quick.Then when I am finished with my business I will let you go.Whether you go dead, or alive is your decision."The pilots stared up at him in complete terror as he pointed his spear from one to the other.Kain thought to himself though, "I wonder why these two stayed if

the alarm was going off."Then he realized that the alarm wasn't going off in the cruiser, inside Kain laughed at their stuipidity.

***

Kain watched as he came up upon the island that he was searching for, an island in on ocean of magma.Kain looked back to see the two still terrified pilots, "I'm going to let you land this."He pointed to what looked to be the higher ranked of the two pilots.

"Yes sir."Was his response.The higher ranked pilot nearly ran to sit on the seat next to Kain's.Kain watched the pilot as he maneuvered the buttons, levers, and other controls.After about a minute Kain felt the cruiser touch down on the island.

Kain got off of the cruiser after giving explicit directions to the two pilots not to go anywhere.However as soon as he was halfway towards the cave the cruiser lifted up into the air and was on it's way to the end of the horizon."A man's word means nothing today.Oh well, if the callers are down below like I think they are, I won't have need for that

cruiser anyway."Kain then proceeded to walk to, and into the cave that lead to the land of summoned monsters.At that point Kain thought to himself, "Why couldn't we have just given it a regular, shorter name."

Entering he found that at least this place was probably one of the only places left on earth left untouched for the past 750 years.He walked through the cave always avoiding the red patches on the ground as Rydia had told him before to do.

["Inside of the cave there are going to be spots on the ground that are glowing red.Don't touch them, they will drain energy from those that pass over them."Everyone gave her a questioning look."I think they have something to do with the temporal flows within the cave.But really no one has any idea."]

Running and jumping through the cave he began to recognize forms in the distance, demons no doubt.As Kain got closer he saw them better and remembered that those were Arachanoids, and that he had killed a few on his previous visits here with Cecil, Rosa, Edge, and Rydia.They noticed Kain and began to run towards him."Arachanoids, hah!You're quakes' cannot touch me."He leaped through the air and down upon one as it collapsed beneath him Kain thought to himself, "I must be stronger, much stronger.It used to take me three of four attacks."Suddenly where he landed the ground shock beneath him and a chasm formed.Kain fell to the bottom of the chasm, pain was shooting through his body, but Kain had learned to ignore pain all to easily.He leaped from the chasm onto more stable ground, then another leap took him into the sky and down upon the second creature."All to easy, now."

Kain traveled further and further down through the cave, finally coming upon an erected portal, though to him it looked more like an altar.Stepping unto the altar he waited for a second until he felt himself shifting, he could fell the pattern of his being changing then it all stopped and he was standing on an identical altar on top of a floating group of wooden structures.Kain looked around and saw nearly a dozen hooded figures before him.He knew these were called monsters, relief flooded through him that the Alliance had not destroyed goodly monsters within here.

"What took you a second human, took us an hour to decide whether we should let you into our home.Then finally I remembered who you were.It is good to see you again Kain."The old man with the beard down to his feet said to Kain.Kain looked around at everyone and then noticed that indeed only the summoned monsters stood before him

now.

"It is good to see you again Lord Levithan, but I must ask you where are the callers.I had heard that Rydia established a school of sorts down here for them."Kain asked.

"That is true Kain, but I'm sorry to tell you this, but there are only three left with the ability to call us into their service.If you are asking though the three callers that are left are with the other humans.We did not summon them as who gets into our village is none of their affair."

"How can there be so few!"

"No, I mean with those who have descended but are unable to use the power of the caller.Very odd thing it is usually about 33% of those that descend from callers that have the ability but, that percentage slowly dropped and now

the chance that one of these three will have summoner offspring only 2%."

"Take me to them, I will need to talk to everyone here anyway."

"Follow, and I shall lead human."

"Oh, and how many years have passed here while I was gone."

"Two-thousand three-hundred and fifty-seven."Kain nodded, he was becoming more and more used to these

kinds of odd occurrences."Which begs the question, how did you survive all this, Kain."

"Those who send reviews shall be karmicly rewarded."

-Kain DeLuman


	5. A Place of Old Friends

Note : Most persons places and things in this fanfic are probably owned by

# Squaresoft inc. so please don't sue.

# A Place of Old Friends

Naxos looked at Kain with movements that Kain understood as his fears.Though from Naxos face usually nothing could be deciphered."Now look I'm not going to lie to you, I need your help.And should you should decide to help me then you must know that the journey will be long and dangerous.But think, if your great great however many greats grandmother had not taken a little danger neither you or any other humans would be here."

"We understand that Kain."Dawne told him."But, we cannot in all good conscience leave behind this place.It is our duty to everyone here, to create more callers."She said as though she were embarrassed by it.

"And, " Racule interjected. "You want us to use our summoning abilities.Well, think about how powerful we will be.Dawne is the strongest among us and she can barely summon and control Shiva."

"That is because you don't have the necessary battle experience.I'm going to tell you right now.We spend two, three days tops, inside of the cave between the two worlds and I'll make you three to five times more powerful."Kain paused looked at Dawne for a moment realizing that she was the exactly how he imagined Edge and Rydia's child to be, a thin girl of medium height, dark completion, very dark green hair, and that faint shadow of stealth that Edge always had."Dawne I look at you and I know that you're no where near close to the power of which you could have."

"And how do we learn magic simply by fighting these demons?As you say we can."Racule questioned him disbelievingly.

"I know not.Now look, you know I am as useless with magic as an ogre.But, I do now that that was how Rosa, Rydia, Cecil, and Edge developed the majority of their magic."

"All right, say we do train and become much stronger.What do we do when we come back?By that time no one that we know now will have survived with the exception of the summoned ones."Dawne stated simply.

Kain looked down as he answered them."I can only tell you that, yes.If you come with me you are going to have to make sacrifices."Kain paused for a moment realizing that in order to conscribe one must not talk about the dangers of battle, only it's rewards."But also I've been thinking, what is the only difference that could have caused the ability to summon to lack so.Location is the only difference.I would suggest that maybe just maybe if you went back to the upper world you're chances of creating summoner offspring might be greater."

The three looked at Kain together, curiosity in their eyes.Then finally Naxos simply leaned back in his chair and stated."All right, I'm going and if either of you two want to come with me then I'll welcome you.Though if you don't want to come, please don't try and stop me."Naxos then gave Kain a faint gleam in his eyes, this man in his late twenties wanted to go adventuring.Kain could remember seeing that near-identical face, that near-identical look, in Edge's eyes.

[Cecil looked at Edge, his body was very much burnt, but so was everyone else."Well Rubicant is as dead as we can make him, what are you going to do now Prince Edge of Eblan?"

"I'll tell you what he is going to do.He is going to come back with me and these soldiers, settle down, get a wife, and rebuild the castle with us."The stuffy chamberlain of Eblan said as he entered the room.

"No, Chamberlain.I'm going with them to help stop this Golbez character before he destroys the world, or conquers it, or whatever he wants to do!"Edge looked back at everyone behind him, Kain caught the faintest gleam in his eyes.]

Dawne and Racule looked at each other, then Racule looked back at Kain and said."Well I don't care, I'm staying here.And personally I think your nuts Naxos, just to go off and fight for the good of mankind.Haven't you learned yet?Mankind is evil anyway.Even the light of hope forsakes us all.Humans are chaos incarnate, and someday we will destroy everything we hold dear."Dawne looked at him in amazement.

"How can you think that?"Dawne exclaimed.

"It's true, think about it.Why do we..."

"Maybe your right," Kain interrupted "but we still go off and fight the good fight in hopes that one day people can change.I too believe people are evil.However the only reason they are acting evil now is because they follow an evil leader.Should we replace this 'Guardian' who is in control of the world with someone who is good, righteous, and is not tempted by power, then you shall see that humans can be good, and can follow order, not chaos."Racule looked at Kain disbelievingly and then looked down at table and shook his head back and forth.

"I'm coming too Kain." Dawne said softly "Your right, all we need to do is set up something new.That and what if Kain is right about us, what if we really are killing off our own people by being too close to those that we summon.It's possible and I'd like to see whether it's true of not."Kain, Naxos, and Dawne stared firmly at the finale caller left.

"It's like I said, I'd rather stay here.I'm sorry, call me a coward if you will but I don't think that we could change anything anyway. I just think that it's a fool thing all of it.Kain I respect you, but what you talk of.I'm sorry I just can't agree with any of it."

"Very well," Kain told him calmly."We shall go without you. Note though that we probably will never see you again, after we leave here."

"All right, I'll miss you all.But don't expect me to loose any sleep over it." Racule told Kain as calmly as Kain had talked to him.

Kain stood up from the table where all four sat, looked at Dawne and Naxos that gave them the faintest single of "we're leaving."Naxos and Dawne got the message and all three exited leaving Racule behind alone.When the door was closed Racule said to himself."Damn fools, now the chance of any more callers is near nonexistent.Damned fools all three of them."

***

Kain told Dawne and Naxos to go off and tell their friends and family their good-byes.Then pack everything that they would need for the trip they would be taking.As the two callers left Kain he decided to visit the basement of the library where he had first met the Lord Leviathan and Lady Asura.When he was down the second set of stairs he saw that Leviathan and Asura were in the company of many different called monsters.All of them were frantically discussing what was going on.Then as Kain walked down from the stairs everyone froze and stared directly at him.

"Well, well, I must say Kain you sure have created quite the ruckus among all of us here.You must realize that some here would object to you taking away those few that have the spark within them.So would you say to calm these members of our society?"Leviathan told Kain questioningly.

Kain looked around at the cloaked faces.However, he was disgusted by the fact that he could not make out any faces, for he could see none.All that was visible of any but Asura and Leviathan were the eyes under their hoods.Kain wondered to himself why they bothered camouflaging themselves as humans at all.When they could all just remove their cloaks and live their lives in their true forms.Suddenly Kain remembered the question set before him, he began to hope that the summoned ones simply though he was in deep thought.But, Kain knew exactly what to say."Lord Leviathan, Lady Asura, I tell you right now that no harm shall come to these two as long as I am living.I will also help them by teaching them the ways of battles, how to survive, and the ways of today's world."

"Yes we know that, Kain." Asura said placental."But our question is more that we want to know what you are going to do with them."

"They will be a symbol more than a weapon if that is what you are wondering.You see, no one will believe that I am the Kain of legend without some kind of proof.Your two summoners are that truth; they will be a symbol of what the world was like before the Guardian took control.People will see this and they will flock toward a much better life.Yes, they will flock towards a life where those that rule do not do so with an iron fist.They rule instead with the will of the people behind them.That was the world I left behind, that is the world that the two callers shall help me to create again."Everywhere in the somewhat small room the called monsters began to nod approvingly.

Leviathan looked at Kain with his aged eyes and face, he than looked at Asura, gave her a faint smile and said to Kain."Take them Kain, your methods and reasons are sound."

"I thank you.And hopefully soon, so will the rest of humanity.Though to tell you the truth I came down here not to ask permission."A quite stream came from that comment. "But!I did come here to talk with you my Lord of times long past.Though someone did tell me before only a fool thinks of the past when the present stares him in the eye, I must confess to you though that I do need to talk; in the very least so that I can remember better my old friends."Leviathan nodded and looked at those who had collected themselves in his room, he looked at them with an air and a message of "We need to be alone."And with that all of the summoned ones began to file out of the room except for Leviathan and Asura.

As soon as the room was cleared of all, but those three, Leviathan said."I remember the first time that..."

***

Kain, Naxos, and Dawne had all met at the altar of transportation as Kain had called it.Around them had formed a circle of humans that should have been Callers themselves.

"We will miss you."

"Take care."

"Be careful."

"Do exactly what Kain tells you to do."

"Only do what you can do."

"Have fun."

"Good luck."

"Don't take any fool chances while you're up there."

Kain could tell that they were even more warnings and pieces of advice being tossed at them but Kain ignored them as the cold haze of teleportation came through him.

When the three arrived in the cave Kain looked at the faces of his two companions and said, "So, are you ready to begin your training?"Though when he saw their faces he thought to himself that anyone with a face that pale might need an hour or two before starting to train."Don't worry that happens to everyone their first time going through a dimensional transportal."

After a few minutes Kain got off of the altar and then helped the other two off.After the two callers had regained a bit more sense Kain told them to pick up their gear because they're going to go.

Along the way to the tunnel Kain purposely led the three of them to every single demon, monster, or anything else that would want kill them, in the cave that he could find.Kain spent most his time protecting the two while they hurled spells at those that rushed towards them.Soon though once they encountered the red anomalies on the ground Kain had to stop and think.This was because he couldn't leap across with both at the same time.He began to ponder the situation and as he did Dawne approached him."What's wrong?"

"I'm trying to think of how to get around this red patches on the floor ahead of us, without stepping on them."

"You mean you think we could use some height, why didn't you just ask."As Dawne started the incantation Kain watched her wondering exactly what she was doing and then out of nowhere the three of them began to float about a yard off of the ground.Kain was flabbergasted.

"I thought that, what, I.I mean, that, was the same white magic that Rosa used to use."Kain exclaimed.

"Yes, it's a float spell."

"But, how are you able to use the white magic?I thought callers couldn't use the white magic."

"No, it's just that only certain callers can use white and black magic in conjunction with their calling powers."

"Can Naxos?"

Naxos looked at Kain from where he was floating about ten feet off and said, "No, besides the only cases of joint conjuration were from females anyway."

"I see, well then.Let's keep going, shall we."With that the three began floating across the red patch below them.Still though, while they floated, Kain continued to seek out those that would give these two experience.Every once and awhile though one of them would run out of energy, but thankfully Kain had expressly told them to bring plenty of ethers; which they did.

Finally though the three did emerge from the cavern.Kain looked back to see the two callers behind him.He could now feel their strengths much more easily.They were powerful now.Each could now control the Titan and Dawne would soon learn to control the power of Asura."It is too bad that we can no longer reach the Ruby Moon.If we could, I would send you two up there to gain the strengths' of Bahumet himself."Now it was the two students turn to be flabbergasted.

"Bahumet exists!!"

"You've met him, on this Ruby Moon?"

"What 'Ruby Moon' their is only one moon."

"Kain, I..."

At that point Kain just ignored them turned around and said."Yes I've met Bahumet, he lives on a moon the color of rubies that used to circle our planet.It no longer does, but it used to.Yes, he is the strongest of all the called monsters.And no, I don't know where the Ruby Moon is now, sorry."With that Dawne and Naxos decided to leave Kain alone and shut up.

The three reached the southern most part of the island, Kain looked at the two and said."Well how do you two think we're going to cross this huge sea of magma?"

"Not even Shiva could freeze all of this."Naxos said almost sounding frightened.

"What about the teleportation that master Couw and I have been working on?"

"Yes, teleportation might work.But, where could we teleport to; you've never been out here before Dawn.No caller has for the past five hundred years."

"Of course, of course I know that.But think, Kain does know this place.If I could just use him to get the knowledge that I need Kain then we could go wherever we need to go."

"Giodd City is where we will be going."Kain stated simply."Now, what type of information do you need from me?"Dawne began walking over towards Kain then she put his head between her two hands and began an incantation.

"What are you doi, ahhh!"Icy fire coursed through Kain's head as he felt Dawne presence flooding through his conscience.He could feel her absorbing his knowledge of the world, as if she was reading a map."Get, out, of, me!Now!"With that Dawne did leave his conscience mind.

"Never do that ever again, do you understand?Do you?!?!"

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize you kept yourself so well shielded.Otherwise you would have felt nothing."

"What do you mean shielded, I have no magic to shield me from any of your spells.All I have is my armor."

"No, no, no, I mean a mental shield or an emotional one.Anyone can create one, oh and if are you wondering what I did."Kain nodded his head."What I did was that for the very briefest of times I connected the parts of our two brains that store location memory."

"You have definitely advanced the skills of magic quite a bit sense I was around.I remember that no one would ever have dreamed then of trying to enter someone else's mind."

"Well I'm not really supposed to do that either, they say it's dangerous.But we really didn't have too many options now did we.And you seem to like danger Kain."

"Only a fool 'likes danger' Dawne.Now can you teleport us sense you have the desired information that you took from my mind."

"I can and I will."And with that the world began to shift around Kain.The underworld of red and black, became a world was blue and then green then it shifted towards colors that Kain could not even recognize.As he drifted Kain thought to himself of how must people would be mortified by this; but to him, It was seemed to be pure and untainted beauty.

"Those who send reviews shall be karmicly rewarded."

-Kain DeLuman


	6. A Party is Formed

A Party

Note: Most persons places and things in this fanfic are probably owned by

Squaresoft inc. so please don't sue.

A Party is Formed

On a hill outside Giodd City a young dwarven girl was watching her small herd of eight chocobo.Though the herd was very small it was also very valuable and not only to her.There were white chocobo; and some said that these special chocobo were worth their weight in gold, but all she cared about was the love that they gave her.She knew that at some point she would have to sell one, though she counted herself lucky because even with this small amount of chocobo, another would always come along to replace the one she would sell.And luckily for her two white chocobo always produce white offspring.

Suddenly light filled her eyes and she was forced to cover herself from its blinding power.When the light was gone she looked to find what had created it.At first she saw and noticed nothing but then she scanned the cliff where the light had come from.There she saws three figures beginning to talk to one and other.The dwarven girl was much to far away to hear what they were saying, but she did notice when the one dressed in green armor pointed down towards her herd, she prayed at that point.She had been able to avoid bandits for so long, she didn't know what to do, so she just prayed.

***

Kain approached the white chocobo wondering why a small herd of them would simply be wondering about, suddenly Kains' eyes caught a girl hiding behind a large rock.Though this was a dwarven girl, he would have said about twelve or thirteen.Kain called to the Girl,"Hello, we saw your herd and were wondering what they were doing here by themselves.This is your herd isn't it?"

"Yes," she said sheepishly."Please don't take them though, they are all that I have.All that my parents left me."She pleaded with Kain.

Kain looked down at the girl and nodded his head at her, "I promise to you that I will not take any of these creatures.However, I was wondering if my friends here could use them for a minute."

The girl looked at Kain with confusion."What are you going to do with them?"

"Well you see, the white chocobo have an ability that no other chocobo has, that ability is to quickly regenerate the stamina lost by certain people with certain skills.These two behind me are those certain people with those certain skills."

"Okay.Just don't hurt them, please."

"Of course these chocobos will be brought no pain at all."And with that Naxos and Dawne each approached one of the white chocobos.Then Naxos touched the forehead of his selected chocobo.Suddenly he stood straight and erect like an invisible string was pulling him up, but not letting him leave the ground.Then he took his hand away from the chocobo's forehead and looked at both Kain and Dawne and nodded his head.

Dawne only gulped as she looked at what had just happened.She slowly approached the chocobo nearest her with her hand.Suddenly she too began to stand straight and erect, however after a few seconds she began to convulse.Naxos shot his head at Kain, "What's wrong?"

"Patience, she has used up more of herself than you."

Then Dawne slumped down onto the ground.Naxos and Kain both rushed over to her to see how she was doing but before either of them got there she had gotten back on to her feet and was near glowing with the pleasure that the chocobo had put within her."How do they do that Kain?"She asked.

"I asked the same question to Rosa once, she told me it had something to do with osmosis, but really, I don't think she even understood anything about them."Kain paused looked around and saw the small girl looking at them."Thank you very much for the use of your chocobos.But know we must be off."

The girl nodded her head at Kain and he could tell that she felt so glad to be finally rid of these strangers.

***

As Kain and his two companions entered Giodd city Kain suddenly began to think on his own stupidity.He couldn't believe that he had forgotten to talk with Dekan and Phantine about where to meet him.Kain's mind began racing, where would the two of them most likely be right now.Well, they are supposed to be encouraging rebellion from the dwarves, so they are probably in one of the fourteen-dwarven sectors. But now, the question of course becomes which one?

Kain decided to take to an inn for the night and to begin their search tomorrow morning.Inside of the inn Kain was only able to get one room for the three of them, apparently there was some kind of a festival begging tomorrow, Kain did not know what it was about, nor did he care at that moment.

The three of them sat at a table that had been placed in their room, they began to talk over where Phantine and Dekan could be."Now look I say they probably went to the worst of all the sectors because there, they are most likely to find those wanting and willing to fight."Naxos said.

"No, you see you never begin with the worst.You always want to start about three or four places above the worst.Because there, they have hope and hope is a most powerful weapon when used correctly."Kain informed them.

"So the question becomes, did you tell this to your two friends, Kain?" Dawne inquired.

"I am sure that I did."

"Well then that means that we have to find out the place where these dwarven people are most likely to have hope and are still down deep in the gutters."

"Sector three."Naxos said.

"Why do you say that?"Dawne asked him.

"Because look at this map here.Look how sector three is looking right up at the human sector.Just enough so that the humans aren't always looking down like a security camera, but enough to annoy you that they are still a presence where before only your King reigned.You did say that the human sector is where the castle used to be, right Kain?"

"Yes that is correct."Naxos nodded."And I also believe that you're right about the dwarves there having the most hope of anyone.Because they are the closest to where their King reigned."

"So we all leave for sector three tomorrow then?"Naxos asked.

"You and I will go Naxos, But Dawne I want you to stay here.No, don't argue or say that I'm being sexist.It's because I just remembered what tomorrow's festival is and why everyone from across the underdark decided to descend upon the city today."

"What kind of festival is it Kain?"

"It's called, Grak Yrast Kya, that means the feast of the pure."

"I don't get it.It sounds just like any other feast day to me; except they probably eat some kind of 'haloed meat'."

"No, you must understand Dawne, that pure is a synonym for virgin."Dawne stared at Kain for the longest time, and then she opened her mouth with a look of horror that spoke the frightening awareness to Kain.Then she shut her mouth and was about to ask Kain a question when he interrupted her to say."I can tell, let me put it that way I can tell.Also, I doubt that they will only be 'feasting' on the pure."Dawne nodded at him once more in agreement with Kain suggestion for staying in the Inn's walls.Kain could also feel the silent prayer that she voiced about the innkeepers being noble about tomorrow's activities.

***

As Kain and Naxos entered into the twentieth bar they had been to that day, within seconds they had exited the twentieth bar that day.At that point Kain began to wish that he was back at that inn with Dawne, at least there people kept to their "activities" in private places instead of what was going on within every single bar in the third dwarven sector.Naxos looked at Kain with yet another disgusted look in his eye and said."That's it Kain, I don't care.Either A: we search somewhere other than in these bars or B: we go back to the inn."

Kain looked back at his companion and said."Very well, where would you suggest we look if not within one of these, 'fine' establishments?"

"I say we go back to the inn.There is nothing we can do here today; we just have to wait till tomorrow.Unless you want to interrupt all those *coughs* friendly dwarves in there."At that moment though Kain wasn't paying any attention at all to what Naxos was saying, he was looking at the two humans strolling down the street.Hoods were covering both of their faces, but.

"It is not possible that I have this good of luck."Kain whispered silently and then he nearly ran over to the two humans, barely making note of the fact that Naxos was actually running after him.As soon as Kain caught up with the two humans his heart sank.Their was no way that it was Dekan and Phantine, for the last time Kain had looked, he had not remembered Dekan having breasts.Thus he stopped and waited a couple of seconds for Naxos to reach him."It's not them," Kain whispered to Naxos."Though they may know where they are.Something tells me that humans in the Underdark would want stick together a lot."

Thus, Kain approached the two women in their brown hooded cloaks.Kain tapped lightly on one of the girl's shoulders.Each turned around at the same moment though to see who was there.Both also reacted with great surprise to seeing humans, instead of a couple of very anxious, enterprising dwarves.The one on the left was slightly taller and with brown eyes and brown hair.The other was shorter, though not actually short, and had gray eyes with brown hair again."What do you want?"The brown eyed one asked.

"We are looking for friends and were hoping that one of you two might know something about where they are."Kain asked them.

"It all depends on the friends that you are looking for.Are they dwarven, or human?"Asked the gray-eyed girl, and girls both of them were Kain noticed that neither looked older than eighteen.Suddenly Kain began to wonder why everyone he was meeting was a teenager.

"They're human, a male and female.Both of them are also about your ages.The male is equipped with a spear and should be training with it quite a bit.The female is quite the marksman with two pistols she has.If that information helps at all."The two girls looked at each other then they began to whisper to each other.

"Would they be trying to start some kind of trouble here with the dwarves, perhaps trying to raise old spirits of the past back into the spirits of the present?"The brown-eyed girl said.

"And if they were would that be such a bad thing." Naxos said."From what I have seen this world needs to be changed, and as a wise man once said to me the easiest way to change the world is from the bottom up."

"You talk as though you find revolution against, our beloved Guardian, acceptable."Said the gray eyed one almost sarcastically.

"Enough," Interjected the brown-eyed girl before Kain could respond."All of us know what's going on here, so just tell us their names and I will lead to them.If I know them of course."

"The female is Phantine, and the male Dekan."

"Good enough for me."The brown eyed one said."Follow, and we shall lead."

While the four of them walked through the streets they talked about many things including how each of them thanked the light that this was on majority an inside festival.The majority of the conversation though was about: how change was needed and how to go about, the means of which to fund a war, the resistance movements going on within the city, and finally each of themselves.The gray-eyed one was known as Arigon, and the brown eyed was called Illior.The four of them walked for what seemed like miles only to end up at the back of an alley.The girls let them through a basement door and down through a staircase.At the end of the staircase Kain saw sitting at an old wooden table, a slightly older looking Phantine and Dekan.

***

Kain found out from his two friends, after he had sent Naxos back to get Dawne, that he had been gone for approximately a month.Though from Kain's understanding it must have been the hardest month of these twos' life.They had managed to find, create, and establish ties with all of the resistance groups from sector two to sector nine.And as soon as the festival was over they were planning to formally establish ties with sectors ten, eleven and twelve.Kain was incredible impressed by these teenagers which he himself had sent out to do the work of veteran adventurers.

They began discussing exactly what kind of support they could expect."Well from the numbers that we currently are aware of, there are about 350 dwarves who are 'openly' in the resistance and near couple thousand more who will join if pressed.If we can get all of those we can start a rallying cry.We can probably take Giodd City without any trouble at all.The Guardian apparently thinks that the dwarves have no hope left within them, or something like that.The only problem comes with taking control of the rest of the underground, or what will soon be known as the Grand Empire of the Dwarven Clans and Heritage, or something like that."Dekan said with all the exuberance of a young boy talking about his newest toys.

Kain nodded in approval."Yes I see, from what you have told me about the army that the Guardian has retaining control of the underground it would be very difficult to send messages from community to community.Plus, we have all forgotten something."

"What's that?"Arigon said with an air of contempt in her voice.

"The Guardian will use that kind of an uprising as both propaganda, and an excuse to tighten his grip around the world.If we do this, then the upper world will look upon the Guardian as the hero who saved them from the dwarves."With that comment the conversation stopped, Kain was amazed that none of the others had seen this coming.

"Well then, what do we do?We have to do something we can't just sit here and wait for everyone to come to their senses, and then do this."Illior asked Kain with revulsion on her tongue.

"I have been thinking on this for awhile and the here is the best solution that I can..." Suddenly Dawne and Naxos entered the room neither of them seemed to have a breath left inside of their lungs.

"Sorry to barge in," Dawne said after taking a moment to catch her breath."We just didn't want to miss anything."

"I thank you for rushing, although I would have told you exactly what everyone here had said anyway."Kain looked back at the four already seated at the table."I apologize, these are Dawne and Naxos, they are callers and they also have other magical talents as well."Both Arigon and Illior looked on with a stunned silence at the two callers.Phantine and Dekan were surprised as well but they recovered quite quickly.Noticing the surprise still embedded on the girls' faces Dekan decided to have see if he could make their jaws actually drop.

"Oh and how rude of me as well.Arigon, Illior this is Kain, you know the legendary Dragoon Kain, from the legends."At that moment Arigon fainted and Illior looked as though she needed to find the bathroom rather quickly.

After about 15 minutes the two girls had recovered and Kain went back to what he was talking about before."Now, you all know about the tower of Babil, right?"

"Those who write reviews shall be Karmicly rewarded."

-Kain DeLuman


	7. The Tower of Babil

Note: Most persons, places, and things in this fanfic are probably owned by

Squaresoft inc. so please don't sue.

The Tower of Babil

Kain, Phantine, Dekan, Dawne and Naxos approached the Tower that reached through the top of the underdark and through the ceiling itself to climb as tall as the tallest mountain.

"Scholars still have no idea where this thing came from.Or who could possibly have built it."Phantine said.

"It was built even before the lunarians came here."Kain said silently

"It's huge, I never would have thought that there was anything as large as this in the world."Dawne said, almost sounding hypnotized by the tower immensity.

"Well are we going in, or not."Said Naxos sounding like the stone that he is.

"Yes although who knows what the conditions are like inside of the tower.Wait, Phantine has anyone ever gone into there in the past, I don't know, five-hundred years?"Kain asked.

"No, the tower was sealed off by the first patriarch for reasons that are unknown."

"Yes, but has anyone even shown any interest in it."

"About as much interest as they show the other eight wonders in the world.Most researchers believe the Patriarch sealed off the tower because it was unstable inside."Dekan answered.

"Trust me, it's not.The tower is constructed out of materials that do not even look anything close to normal. They glow, and you can almost feel the energy as you stand upon the tiles."

"So then we're going; so let's go."Naxos said.

The five traveled up and into the entrance to the Tower of Babil.As they came from the entrance, Kain looked before him as he saw the floor that had completely given away."Remnants of Golbez."Kain thought to himself, then he looked at Dawne and said."Can you send us to the other side?"

"Of course."Within seconds Dawne was chanting out the mystic arcanic runes of teleportation.A white flash and Kain and his party were on the other side of the long walkway up to the tower's first floor.

Inside the actual tower, it was exactly how Kain had remembered it being.Right down to the air having that same feeling of refinement to it.As they wandered further along Kain noticed more that remained unchanged about the Tower, it was still inhabited.Kain looked at the Demons of flame that bore down and tried to assault him and his party, Kain only laughed.He flied through the air and down onto the form of the beast just as it was turned to ice before him.Kain crashed down through it all the same though.To his right he could see Phantine luring the eyes of the second demon while Dekan came from the demons right flank and buried his spear within it's side.The demon cried out in pain but soon it had nothing left to cry with, its throat was lying down by its side.At that point Kain thought to himself, "They have the skills, they can challenge most anything or anyone now.Though that may only be because no one but them knows these lost arts."Kain looked beyond the demon and saw Phantine with her pistol still focused on the head of the demon. Then Kain heard Dawne cry out, almost laughing."Don't worry, I think it's dead."With that Dekan, Phantine and Dawne gave out a laugh.And Kain too breathed a silent one.

"Are we going, or are we going to continue to gloat over two dead beasts; when several hundred more could be right behind the next door."Naxos said in his voice that screamed out authority.

"I am ready Naxos.And don't worry about the others, they will follow."Kain said to Dekan.

More floors of the tower past them, as more dead beasts lay in their wake.The party was getting tired though they could still continue.They passed the room were the Cannon of Babil was stored, Kain told them that they could and would stop in their to rest for the night.Naxos growled, thinking to himself that they could have covered the distance of the tower in only one day.

As they entered the room Kain looked out from the still charred ruins of what had been controls, for the weapon.[The dark imp still stood there with his finger on the control that would send the dwarves to their graves.Cecil ran over to the control and looked at the monitor."He put it on a locked firing, the bastard.There is nothing we can do!"

"There is always a way."Yang said."Leave this to me and everything shall be fine."Yang walked over to the controls, he looked back at the rest of their party and said, "I have need of solitude now, please leave."Everyone but Cecil left the room; he was still standing in the doorway.

"What are you going to do Yang, tell me!"Cecil burst out.

"Yang silently walked over to Cecil and whispered into his ear something that Kain could not hear.Then he took a step back and punched Cecil in the chest as hard as he possible could.Cecil was propelled back nearly ten yards, and before Cecil could recover and rush back into the control room, the door was locked.Seconds later their was an explosion which rocked the foundation of the tower.Anyone could tell now that the door was as open able as the cover of a book.But, no one entered.No one needed to see what was inside.]

***

The party stood before a gigantic cross pattern on the floor of the room.The only oddity about it was that the outside of the cross, was not there.Although Kain had remembered this place from before, but the others (mainly Phantine who was afraid of heights) were fairly startled by the fact that that the center of the cross appeared to have nothing to support it but, the lines of the cross that came from it.

On the center of the cross was the teleportation orb.Kain had himself, only seen it being used before, by Rubicant."What is that, more importantly what will it do?"Asked Dekan.

"We called it a teleportation orb, stand on it and activate those controls over there and whatever is on it will be sent to the connecting orb, I believe the device is somewhat similar to the Serpent Road back in Baron and Mysidia."Everyone looked at Kain with confusion on all of their faces all except Phantine.

"Kain, the serpent road was destroyed by the Guardian, after he took over.He proclaimed it to be evil, sorceress's work.Not even the original building that they were housed in stands."Phantine took a gulp fearing what she had to tell Kain next. "Also, Mysidia is gone."

"The village of magi, the home of the crystal of water, the temple of wishes, gone.Humph, I should have expected nothing less.These Guardians that have taken over this world of yours will pay for their sins, even if I have to reach into the graves of every one of them that has passed on to do it."With that the party fell silent

Dekan, who had walked over to the controls of the teleportal orb, finally broke the silence. "We can use this.I pretty sure I know how, however we should test it first I think."Kain looked at Dekan and nodded.With that Dekan walked over to the orb and placed a paper from his backpack on top of it.Dekan ran back to the controls and started began to examine what he saw before him.Within a minute he started the procedure.The paper appeared to flash in and out of existence and then was gone.Dekan then activated more controls on the device and the paper faded back into and then back out of existence on the pad, finally it completely reappeared.Dekan went to the orb to inspect the paper."Well, everything is exact.This device actually sends things to another place.Either that or it can destroy and then re-animate anything."

"It's just like my magic, only I feel no resonance from this device here."Dawne said.

Naxos then walked over to the teleportal and stood on top of it and said, "Through the switch."Kain nodded his agreement at Dekan, and within seconds Naxos began to blink in and out of existence, and then finally he was gone.After that Kain went, then Dawne, then Phantine and finally Dekan as soon as he was able to find a timer procedure.

At the other end of the teleportal orb the party was relieved to find themselves not only still in the Tower of Babil, but also much closer to their goal.Still they continued up through the path that Kain had treaded before.

***

Finally after nearly three days of journeying up through the tower they finally reached what they had been searching for."As soon as we get inside of this room, there is a pit trap somewhere, so teleport us to the middle of the room Dawne."Kain said.

"Very well."Answered Dawne.

"Kain opened the doors, into the most haloed of all places in the world.This was the one true shrine of the crystals.Where all were kept: the crystal of fire, the crystal of water, the crystal of earth, the crystal of air, the crystal of shadows, the crystal of darkness, the crystal of chaos, and the crystal of death; the four crystals of the light and the four crystals of the darkness.Equal, just as the Paladin was to the Dark Night, just as the day is to the night, like summer and winter, equal.

Without giving any warning Dawne sent them to the middle of the room.Once they had reached their destination Kain looked more clearly at the room around them.Eight altars, each facing to the north, this room was exactly like the one in the lunar palace.The eight crystals though were not on their respective altars though.Instead, the were all inside of one clear crystal box in the center of the room, only two steps from where Kain was standing.Kain approached the glass case, everyone else was behind him, waiting and wondering.

Suddenly something clicked in Kain's mind.Not all of the crystals were inside of the case, two were missing; one light was gone and one dark was as well.Kain inspected the crystals from the outside of the case, he made note of the symbols that proclaimed: earth, water, air, death, darkness, and chaos.So the two crystals that were missing are the crystal of fire and the crystal of shadows.

Phantine approached Kain and asked."What do we do with the crystals Kain, why did you bring us here?"

Kain was still in shock from the realization but swung around quickly to look each member of his party in the eye."First you must understand that each crystal has a unique ability.The crystal of water for example can help control tides, and the crystal of chaos can cause mental confusion with large groups of people, entire countries to be certain.However, two of the crystals are gone: the Crystal of Fire, and the Crystal of Shadows.The crystal of fire can generate fire of course, and the crystal of shadows can generate illusions.Though they are still on earth, or else there would be no fire on earth, and there would be no shadows.So I'm willing to guess that our beloved Guardian has these two and is using them to cloud the minds of the people somehow."Everyone nodded in silent agreement.Who else would have the crystals in there possession after all?

After almost a minute of silent thinking Naxos stepped forward toward the container and said."Why don't we just take this crystal of death here and vaporize Baron?I mean Guardian has to be there, doesn't he?"

"Fool, do you really think that that is what the crystal of death is.If it was then Golbez would have destroyed the world on Zemus's command and none of us would be here."Kain paused to let what he had said sink in."The crystal of death is used to bring forth the undead.How else do you think they come to the earth?"

"Well then how about we raise an army of the undead and..."

"No!"Kain screamed out at Naxos."Those who are honorable and just, such as we, do not use those, those, those, creatures of darkness."

"Sorry I asked."Naxos said silently.

"So what do we do?" Asked Phantine again, after a moment.

"First we place the crystals that we have back onto those altars.Second, we go back up to the top of the tower.At the 86th floor we can get off and follow a cave to a resistance movement against the Guardian; you know the one that Secilia was telling us about before.Once we have given them our plans we are going to have to find and return the two crystals that should be here.Then once all of the crystals are gathered we can proceed with the revolution."Kain explained to his party.

"What happens when all of the crystals are back here?"Asked Dawne.

"At that point, we should be able to close off the entrance to the underground.Thus, no Guardian reinforcements will be able to come, and that is really the biggest problem for the underdark right now.And after the dwarves are free to do what they want.After that we bring the big whale over here, via autopilot and then.Find the lunarians, engage in a bit of conversation, and tell them what's going on.Then watch as they kick some Guardian ass."

Everyone nodded their heads; not necessarily completely understanding what Kain was talking about, but understanding enough so that they knew how to proceed.Although Dekan still was skeptical."Why should these 'lunarians' of yours help us?"

"They will because Cecil was half-lunarian, and I don't think they would like seeing something that Cecil fought so hard to get, get flushed down the toilet.Also, there is the small reason that, they owe me." 

***

After another day of wandering through the maze that was the inside of the Tower of Babil, the party finally came to the place on the 86th floor that Kain had told them about.A tunnel had somehow been dug through the wall and through it a cave.Inside the cave Kain could feel the slight remnants of evil still dormant within the walls.And he was right to feel this.

The party stumbled upon a group of the undead, though now these 'terrors' fell before them with a quickness that Cecil would have been proud to see."All of your skills are improving, everyone.And Dekan, you are truly becoming Dragoon.After this is all over I shall bring you up to the tallest mountain on this world, whatever that is now.And I shall personally raise you up to the winds and proclaim you worthy of their blessings."With that everyone looked proud at their accomplishments, especially Dekan.

Within two hours they had reached the entrance to the Elbanian resistance front, located exactly where Eblan itself was forced to relocate to for a time.Inside everyone was quite surprised to see them, especially sense they came from the tower.Apparently no one had ever come from there; at least sense there had been a resistance movement inside of the caves.And the resistance had been there for almost 150 years now.Though the only reason that they had stayed around so long was because of the fact that they had never really done anything, except live outside of the Guardians control.

Within the caves they found the leader of the resistance group, a women by the name of Bladea.Bladea was a tall woman, though that meant only two inches below Kain.She looked at the party as they stood before her, and she listened to them all as they all took turns telling the story to her.When the story was complete to where they had met her she looked at Kain straight in the eye and said."Well, he sure does look like Kain, at least with the armor and the spear and everything.Although it really doesn't matter whether he is or isn't, you see we can't really help you openly.That is the only way we stay alive down here is by not doing anything."

"Can't you see though, that all we need now is information, and maybe a little help getting through to where we need to go?"Pleaded Phantine.

"Yes and I still think that it is dangerous.Normally once someone comes in here they never come out, except on trips to the beach that we have occasionally, but that's not important.What is important is that you must never say you have been here, you must never say anything about this place, never! Or else you know what will happen."Kain nodded back to Bladea, he did know what would happen.

"Very well you have my word that no one here shall even breathe a word about what we have seen here, if and when we leave."Kain said, then added."Now can you tell us if you have any idea about the crystals that we seek?"

"I personally don't but, you may want to ask Tal over in the work shop.He used to do a lot of the mechanical stuff in Baron and Damcyan and all over the place.Head master engineer or something like that, said he was."

"All right we'll talk to him."Kain said.

"Though we are allowed to leave when we need to right."Dawne asked Bladea.

"I can't see why you shouldn't, you all seem trustworthy enough to me.Just promise me one more thing."

"What's that?"Asked Phantine.

Bladea reached into her desk that she was standing behind and pulled out a box.She opened it towards the party in order to show them the contents.Inside were hundreds of small, clear, oblong pills."Each of you takes one.If you get caught swallow them right away.Don't worry they're not for suicide, if that's what you're wondering."Bladea sighed and continued."They block off your long term memory, in essence giving you amnesia."Phantine and Dawne both gasped at this."Kind of cruel in a way but, those are the risks."Kain nodded in agreement with her and took a pill for himself and put it in his pocket.The rest of his party followed suit.

After that they exited Bladea's office and Kain sent everyone but himself off to get some rest at what could almost have been called an inn in this small town of cave-dwelling rebels.

Kain went to the workroom where Bladea had said Tal would be.Inside he asked a young worker where Tal was, and was pointed to the very back of the workroom.Once Kain had reached the back he saw the small man with the long beard, "Almost a dwarf."Kain thought to himself.

Kain tapped Tal on the shoulder and quickly Tal turned around and nearly screamed.Then he said, "Don't scare me like that who ever you are, I'm working and I don't need any interruptions hampering my progress." 

"I'm sorry, Tal, but Bladea sent me to talk to you."

"Talk to me about what?"Tal said with quite a bit of annoyance.

"She said you might know where the two missing crystals might be."With that Tal's jaw nearly dropped to the floor along with the hammer that he had been carrying.

"Those who send reviews shall be karmicly rewarded."

-Kain DeLuman


	8. To Forget

To Forget

Note : Most persons places and things in this fanfic are probably owned by

Squaresoft inc. so please don't sue. To Forget

"So you want to know where the crystals are, you think that will solve all of the world's problems.Just deactivate the crystals and everything becomes peachy."Tal took a pause from his tirade."Moron, the crystals will only remove the fog from the peoples minds, and right now I'm wondering if that fog still in your minds."

"Tal, I don't care what you have to say about our plans all that I want you to do is to tell us where they are."Dekan pleaded.

Tal took a good long look at each member of Kain's party.Looking from eye to eye his resentfulness began to dissipate."All right fine.I remember thinking like all of you are when I was younger.Wanting to save the world from the 'evil' guardian."Tal took in a breath looked in upon himself."It can't be done though."

"Anything is possible."Naxos said."You just have to find out how.And we think the way is through the crystals."

"The crystal of Fire is on the top of Mt. Ordeals."Kain looked at Tal with questioning."You see they have built some kind of a reactor on top of the mountain. Found a whole awful lot of energy there a long time ago.Had to take down some kind of a shrine of mirrors to build it.But, it's their now."With that Kain could fell the rage within him growing and growing.

"That was the place of Cecil's rebirth as a paladin."Said Kain quietly, the words coming out of his teeth.

"Relax, Kain.We'll deal with that later.Right now I want to know where the crystal of Shadows is."Dawne said.

"The crystal of Shadows is in the very center of civilization as we know it."

"Baron?"Phantine said questioningly.Tal slowly nodded his head, now his betrayal of the Guardian was complete and he knew it.

"Dekan, Phantine" Kain nearly barked out."Go find Bladea and tell her we need to get to Eblan, they do have an areo facility there don't they?"Dekan nodded his head and without thought, hesitation or doubt Dekan and Phantine did as Kain asked.

"What can you tell us about where the crystals are housed Tal?"Dawne asked.

"The crystal of fire is down deep in the bottom of the mountain, they use the fire generated from it purify the energy collected.The crystal of Shadows is in the Guardian's Palace, I never actually saw that crystal.But, from what I understand it is somewhere up high, like a tower or something."

"Thank you Tal.Your information will help to defeat the Guardian, I am sure of that."

"Kain, do me one favor though."Kain nodded ready and willing to do whatever the old man asked of him."Don't let anyone know that I, or anyone else here had anything to do with whatever it is that you're doing.If it was ever found out that this 'mighty resistance movement' really just did nothing and hide.People would laugh at us, better just not to mention us at all, whether you succeed or fail."

"If that is what you wish, than that is what I will do for you Tal.Though, when we do succeed, I will come and tell you all so that you can enjoy a free world just like everyone else."With that Tal gave Kain a smile and a silent thanks.

"Naxos, Dawne go get Phantine and Dekan tell that we are leaving, and the sooner the better."Naxos and Dawne both nodded and exited Tal's office.

Kain looked at Tal and said."If I didn't know any better, I would have said you were Cid.Only, just about a foot shorter."Kain nearly laughed as he said this.But, Tal was filled by the compliment and nodded his head in thanks once more.

***

Walking along the beach that would eventually led them to Eblan, Kain looked at the people with whom he is traveling with and silently said to himself."They are different from those who I traveled with before.But, occasionally, that can a good thing."

Dawne spun around."Talking to yourself again?"

Her hearing surprised Kain."Yes, though I wouldn't necessarily say again."

"I apologize all perfect one."Dawne said giggling at her own sarcasm.At that Kain shrugged his shoulders and looked down again at the ground on which he was treading.

Dawne slowed down so that she could walk next to him."Did you really enjoy your old companions so much that you spend almost every free moment you have thinking about them?"

"Not just my companions Dawne.Everything and everyone that I was forced to leave behind. I never even said goodbye to any of them, I just disappeared of the face of the Earth.I regret that whole heartily."Kain said, almost with emotion on his breath.

"I'm sorry I didn't realize."Dawne said sympathetically."Although I think something that might help you would be to talk about it."

"I don't talk about things like that Dawne.I am a warrior, a True Dragoon.I am without emotion, without feeling, without any real remorse."

"Well then I must say I'm sorry for you."She said pausing in thought then saying."Wait, I've seen emotion in you. I have seen the pride in your eyes when you watch us battle.I saw the sadness when we entered that wrecked control room in the tower.I have even seen the fury of rage burning in you when you have battled the undead."

"You are correct Dawne; about one thing, rage.All the others a wear as a mask, so that people believe me human."

"Now you're just full of yourself, and I don't believe you for one second.Living without emotion, that's horrible.Not to mention inhuman."

"I really don't care whether it is inhuman or not, I never really liked humanity to much to begin with.And living without emotion is not a horrible thing.It has allowed me to forget, and to always remain in perfect control of my actions and thoughts."

"Forget what?What are you trying to forget?"

"Nothing.Nothing, now look we are not going to talk about this any longer."

"All right, but Kain."She griped his arm in order to make him stop and look her in the eye."You may think you've killed your emotions.But, they aren't dead, not yet at least."With that the two continued on their walk with the others.Dawne sped up so that she could talk with the others in the lead, leaving Kain alone with his thoughts.

"When ones emotions of sadness, despair, and hatred grow to large and outnumber too much the emotions of happiness, hope, and love.That person should abandon emotion all together."Kain said to himself, quoting something his old master had told him once.

"Kain!" Dekan shouted."Come up hear we want you to tell us what we're doing.We're tired of you leaving us in the dark like this.We want to know."

Kain sped up to catch up with the rest of his party."All right, here is what I've figured out for now, and know that I don't have any details down yet."Kain paused in order to collect his thoughts."First we get to Eblan and we use the money and fake I.D.s that Bladea gave us to get through the areo-facility.At that point we split up into two groups, one group is going to be Dawne and me, the other group is of course Dekan, Phantine and Naxos.Dawne and I are going to Baron to retrieve the crystal of shadows while, you guessed it, Dekan, Phantine, and Naxos take a cruiser to city or town close to Mt. Ordeals, then get into the facility and get the crystal of Fire.I won't be able to help you at all so just know that some, or most, of what it is that you are going to be doing is going to be improvisation."Dekan and Naxos both nodded their heads; Kain could see right away a potential problem."After the crystal is retrieved Naxos can communicate that with Dawne telepathically.Then Dawne will come pick you all up bring you all bring the crystal back to the tower, and if your done before me then you get to come and help me.Otherwise Dawne and I will be waiting for you in the Tower for a signal."Kain paused to let it all sink in."Any questions."

"Yeah."Dawne said."Why don't I just teleport us to those locations.You've been their before Kain, so by linking up with you again we can teleport their." With that Kain looked down and shook his head.

"First, if someone sees us teleporting to either of these locations then we could possibly get caught and I don't want any of us having to kill innocent bystanders just because they have seen us.Second, in order to have a pretty good chance at not being seen we would have to teleport in far ways away.Because I know with Baron there are a lot of small towns surrounding it.It would take us nearly a week to walk from where you would have to teleport us in from.And the same is probably near to the true with Mt. Ordeals.It's just faster taking air cruisers in the long run.Plus we don't want to tire you out too much."Dawne nodded at Kain realizing that indeed using her skills at this situation was not the best idea."Any other questions?" Dekan, Phantine, Naxos and Dawne all looked at each other, but no one said anything."Good."

***

Deep within the center of Eblan the party had taken up temporary residence at a small inn, not cheap, not expensive place that had been almost eager for the business of Kain's party.After everyone had put their gear down in the two connected rooms that they had purchased for the night Kain told them he was going to take a walk.

In the very center of the great city was the original Castle of which Kain had been in once before, though then it was a ruined shell of its former glory.Kain walked up to the gate of the great castle and heard a voice calling him.

"Sir, sir, in order to get in you have to buy a ticket."Kain with murderous calm about him looked to where the voice had come from."Sir, tickets are four coins apiece.Would you like one or not?"Kain walked up to the woman behind the glass screen.He took out four coins from his pocket and dropped them into a metal bowl carved out at the bottom of the glass.The woman behind the glass looked at the coins and then pressed a button, which made a ticket appear from a slit in the metal on Kain's side."Please take the ticket, and have a nice time while your here!"She said far too cheerily for Kain's taste.

Kain took the ticket and entered into the castle."This used to barely be an oasis."Kain said to himself as he looked at the green grass growing everywhere.There were thousands of flowers inside of the huge gardens.Obviously something had caused the soil here to loose its aridness.

Kain entered the Throne room of the Eblanian royalty and was blocked by a velvet rope from reaching the actual throne itself.Behind him he heard two guards talking."I'm telling you it's true.Look around; I personally have only seen maybe 13 people in here today.This place ain't turning no profit anymore."

"No it ain't," Said the other."But, this is a historical location they can't just bulldoze it down just cause it ain't making no money."

"Oh I wish that were true, but to be honest, money is key to everything in this world now a days.And if the Guardian can make more money by having a mega-mall here well then there is going to be a mega-mall here pretty soon."

With that Kain was washed over by digestedness.This place was probably over fifteen hundred years old."How dare they, how dare they."Was all that Kain could think?

Kain exited the old castle and did not look back."Ignorance is bliss, and knowledge is pain."He said to himself."Thus, to forget is to remove pain."

***

Kain's party together entered the areo-facility and after purchasing tickets they went to a cafe style restaurant and each ordered a hot beverage."Jasgian, A relatively large city on a peninsula just north of Mt. Ordeals."Phantine said."Sounds like fun."

"Any place with you is fun, Phantine."Dekan said to his partner.The rest of the party turned a deaf ear to the two and their comments.No one else enjoyed seeing the joy that these two felt towards each other.It reminded them of their own loneliness.

Kain watched as two 'Paladins' walked by the table.One of them stared at his face for a good ten seconds and then moved on. "You don't think?"Dekan said.

"No, it's not possible that he could recognize Kain from a mental message sent from either Mist or Giott City."Phantine said. "It's not possible."

"Anything is possible."Naxos said.

With that everyone, except Kain, gave Naxos a sour look.Though they all knew that that was just part of his personality.

"Did you hear anything about a tram or something that could get you from Jasgian to Mt. Ordeals."Phantine asked everyone.

"Yes I asked."Said Naxos."But unfortunately there isn't any kind of public transportation.Apparently everyone knows about the mountains themselves, but no one knows that there is any kind of reactor, or power plant, or whatever it is, there."

"There is a road though which leads into the Mt. Ordeals Recreational facility and park.Though the park is only the Northern half of the forest and the foothills of the mountain."Dekan said, trying to show everyone that he had as much knowledge, if not more, then Naxos.

Suddenly a voice from on high called out to everyone."Transport number 571, Eblan to Jasgian, will begin loading passengers in 10 minutes, again flight 571.Thank you very much and have a nice day."With that Naxos gave a sneer at the women's fake happiness that had been exhibited over the loud speaker.

"Time to go, Kain."Dekan said."We don't want to have to buy three more tickets.I tell you, those things are just far too expensive.

"All right, well then I guess we'll see you later.And don't do anything that's going to get you killed, all right."Dawne said

"Don't worry, we'll think of something once we get there, just like Kain instructed us to."With that, the two girls hugged one an other and Kain shook the hands of Dekan and Naxos.

"I would tell you good luck.But, I don't believe in it."Kain said in place of good-bye.Though Dawne nearly laughed at it.

After the three had left Kain looked at Dawne and said."What was so funny about that?"

"You're too serious.You just have too..."Suddenly ten 'Paladins' entered into the cafe.

"That's him," The one from before said to everyone.The entire group strained their eyes looking at him. 

Then one said."Possibly, but I wouldn't bet on it.Come on, the game's on and that guys just trying to get on with that cute girl their, leave 'em alone."With that the 'Paladins' left though when Kain looked at Dawne, he expecting to see relief on her face though instead he saw her thoroughly reddened.

"What's the matter, are you embarrassed by something or what?"

"Just a passing thought, that's all."

"Those who send reviews shall be karmicly rewarded."

-Kain DeLuman


	9. Plans

Plans

Note: Most persons places and things in this fanfic are probably owned by

Squaresoft inc. so please don't sue.

Plans 

The air cruiser landed down on the touch pad, the whole cabin shook for a second and then a voice came over the intercom."Thank you for flying, Gaurdia air, the official and only air service in the world.Those who are exiting at this point please..." Dekan ignored the rest of the message over the intercom.Instead he looked at Phantine and Naxos and said."Let's go.The fate of the world may be counting on us."Phantine almost laughed at his over dramatization though she did realize that that very well could be true.

The three of them exited the plane, picked up their luggage, and walked down to a small inn near the entrance of town.After they had purchased their room they visited the small bar inside of the inn.Naxos thought it would be a good idea if they could get any information from the inhabitants of this city.See if any of them actually knew anything about the Mountains, or the reactor itself.So Dekan, Phantine, and Naxos went into the inn's bar and began talking with those who inhabited it.

Dekan approached one weary man with furrowed black hair and a goatee witch was made more from a five o'clock shadow then actual care and grooming.He also had a look of depression on his face."How's it going?"Dekan said.

"Ohh man.Let me tell you it couldn't possible be any worse."The man said with breath that was obviously filled with alcohol.

"Well go ahead and tell me."Dekan said remembering what Kain had told him earlier, [Kain, Dekan and Phantine were sitting around a table in their room at the inn; Dekan looked at Kain and said."Well how do you expect us to find these people while you're gone.Just go up to any Tom, Dick or Harry in a bar and ask them 'say do you know anything about resistance movements here in Giott City."'

"No" Kain replied."Though you are on the right track, yes I would visit a few taverns if I were you.You see all you do is just go up to any drunk in there and ask them what their problems are.Then lead the conversation towards where you want it to go.Sure nine times out of ten you won't get anywhere, but that tenth time, you're going to have quite the advantage because that man or woman won't remember what they told you or why or even when.So you leave no traces, and what's more, they will be much more honest with you and even when they don't tell you anything you want to hear at least just watching them is very amusing."Kain said with a grin and a slight laugh.]

"Well buddy, there's this girl that, well she is just, yeah you get the idea.Well she really likes this guy.I don't know who he is, but... I know he exists and luckily I'm pretty sure he is a guy, so at least that don't throw a curve at me if you know what I mean."Dekan chuckled lightly though not really thinking he was being all that funny at all.

"Let me ask you something," Dekan said."How do you know her?"

"Ohh, we work together."

"Where."

"The grocery store.I'm the manager there you know.She's ah, she's a one of those people that takes your money and gives you a receipt.I don't know what they're called, but you get the idea."At that point Dekan realized that it was going to be a long night.

***

Naxos looked at Dekan talking with that drunk, obviously getting nowhere.The man was a fool to think that he could get anything from him.Naxos looked around the bar though he made sure that no one noticed him doing it.

Suddenly one woman sitting alone caught his eye, not because of her physical appearance, but because she had an aura of self-importance yet at the same time she looked lonely and in need.She was the exact type of person that would be working as a scientist over there at the generators.And as such, Naxos decided to pay her a visit.

"Hi there, the name's Naxos."

She looked up at him with dreamy yet commanding eyes."Go ahead and sit if you want to."Naxos sat down and looked at her with intent eyes."Ohh yeah, my name's Marion.That's an interesting name you have there you know, haven't heard anything like it before."

"Well my parents are from...the underdark, so maybe there is a bit of dwarven influence, or something like that I guess."

"Oh, I've never met any dwarves."

"They're very nice you know; though don't back one into a corner or you'll end up with a bloody lip."With that Marion gave a short laugh."So if you don't mind me asking what are you doing in a place like this.Trying to drown away your sorrows."

"I guess you could say that I'm doing that.All right I'll tell you, you see my boyfriend just dumped me, and I haven't been able to get any respect where I work and..."

"Where do you work?"

"I work at the reactor facility down in the mountains to the south don't usually get to come here much but luckily I have the whole week off so I'm spending part of it here in town.Anyway though I just don't think that anyone really likes me.Except maybe you.Do you like me?"Naxos was shocked though within a second he realized that he shouldn't have been.Where else would single men and women go to meet new people?

"I guess so."Naxos said very slowly.

"Of course he does!"Someone blurted out behind Naxos.He spun around to see just whom it was only to find Dekan standing behind him."So aren't you going to introduce me to your lady-friend here."Naxos almost blushed at Dekan's foolish remark.

"Dekan, this is Marion.Marion, this is Dekan."Naxos said with as much formality as he could muster, while still saying it at lightning speed."Now Dekan Marion was just telling me about where she works."Dekan gave Naxos a questioning look and raised his right eyebrow."She works in the reactor facility in the mountains to the south."With that Dekans'' eyes lit up."She was just explaining about what it looks like in the inside, because I was so interested in it."

"I was?"Marion said.

"Oh yes don't you remember."She gave them both a dazed look."Well go ahead and tell him too.I'm sure he's interested as well."

"Ummm, well where did I leave off."With that both Dekan's and Naxos' lips both began to curl slightly.

Suddenly Phantine entered the room and began looking around, noticing her two companions she wandered over toward their table where the three of them were sitting.She looked down at Dekan and said, "Hey you guys, I was just...oh, hello.I'm sorry I can be kind of unobservant."She said to Marion. "What, ugh, who, what's your name."

"Marion."She answered proudly.Obviously stopping her though process on no one liking her.

"Hi Marion, I'm Phantine.And this is my Dekan."Phantine said sub consciencly marking her territory."I'm sure you've already met. Now what were you guys talking about."

"The reactor facility to the south."Naxos said."Marion works there and she was telling us all about the insides of it."Naxos said in an almost cheery voice, if it was possible for Naxos to sound cheery.

"Oh well in the inside well first there is a great big old door.It's made out of titani, titani, oh something like that.Now there are a whole lot of guards on both sides.But, it's kind of funny because that's the only place where they ever are.Now..." With that Naxos began to ignore her informative ramblings.This was because he could her Phantine whispering something to Dekan.

Naxos kept his eyes on Marion to make sure she didn't notice, but he was really paying attention to what he was hearing from the other side of the table."I was able to enter into the computer system just fine."Phantine whispered."The passwords at that point were so easy.I got to the place where the blueprints were kept and I downloaded them.Although there is only about half of the prints there."Phantine paused for a second then continued."Let's hope she knows something about those areas."

***

Kain saw Dawne's awe as they walked outside of the Barionian aero facility.Baron was a mighty site to behold; Kain noticed it for the first time now.It was breathtaking, towers and skyscrapers as far as the eye could see in the center of town.Though the further your eyes went to the edge of the city, the smaller the buildings became.Just like almost ever other city he had seen or been to in this age.

"Where do we go first Kain?"Dawne asked him.

"Well we have two options at our feet right now.We could either go directly to the Guardian's Tower right now.Find and grab the crystal and pray to the light that the entire military of the Guardian doesn't notice.Or, we could go get some information, make a plan, and then secretly and silently grab the crystal.And notably, both plans end with you teleporting us back to the tower of Babil to wait for the other party."Dawne nodded her head."So which one do you choose?"

"Neither."She said to Kain's dismay."Or rather a combination of the two.I need rest so let's take a day off and do a small amount of research and then go to the Tower."With that Kain and Dawne both looked toward the exact center of town.There they saw the largest of all the towers.It was dead black, not painted that way, but became black because of years of pollution that had sooted the building's exterior.At the very top Kain could make out a large statue of a man holding a sword above his head.

"All right, let's do that.Go to an inn in the third district, one called the Best Choice, or something like that.I'll meet you there in the dining room.Though if you decide to turn in for the night before I arrive, tell the man at the desk that your name is...Rydia, yes Rydia.Make sure they know that I will be looking for you and that they should show me to our room.That reminds me, how much money do we have left."

Dawne took out her wallet from the small almost box-like purse that was hanging from her shoulder."We have about 25 coin left Kain.Well, do you think that will be enough; sounds like the place you picked out is pretty schnazy."

With that Kain gave a small laugh."You obviously don't know the third district very well, although I do suppose it's the nicest place to rent your rest in that district.So I think twenty should be enough for one night."

"You know you don't have to laugh at me just because I don't know everything about the city.I mean you didn't even..."

"Dawne, I laughed because of the irony of you calling anything in that district 'schnazy' that's all.Now if you want to get rest, go.I still have work to do if we want to find out anything about what goes on in there."Kain said pointing directly at the Black Tower.

Dawne looked him in the eye and nodded, and then said."All right, but if you don't come back by morning I'll assume that your dead and go on without you."Kain laughed.

***

"So then we go in through the park district just like Marion said.Then when we reach the exit we wait until someone actually exits and we sneak by them while the gate is closing.From that point we make our way through to the cleaning rooms and see if we can't 'borrow' some uniforms in there.Then we split up and scout out the area and return back to the exit after, let's say six hours.And at that point we can discuss any other options, got it."Naxos said almost sounding like a commanding officer briefing his troops before a delicate combat mission.

"Well that all sounds well and good Naxos."Dekan said."But, unfortunately there probably are security features there.You know things like security cameras and checkpoints and lasers."

"I can bypass those Dekan, can't you?"

"Probably, but what about the ones that we don't see, hmmm."

"I don't miss things like that Dekan."

"Oh come on.That's just plain ridiculous, there are going to be security cameras.Especially in the main garage exit."

"We can bypass those."

"How Naxos, how."

"Both of you stop!"Phantine yelled out."You both sound like a couple of second graders discussing your fake mission to go into your neighbors back yard.Now look these cameras that Dekan was talking about.Naxos you can take them out from a distance with your magic.And I can disable any kind of password security procedure, and so can Dekan, Naxos.And the rest we will have to handle when we get there, all right."Dekan and Naxos nodded their heads in shame. "Good, so it seems to me that sense we will need to depend on each other; splitting up would be a useless venture.So we will need to stick together even when we are scouting out.So that when we do finally find the crystal we don't have to go back and find anyone else.OK!"Again Dekan and Naxos nodded their heads in shame."Good."

With that silence filled the room that was before filled only with shouting.Each of the three looked at each other, they all know knew the plan.They all knew that they had to succeed.They all knew what had to be done.Suddenly though something occurred to Naxos.

"What do you two think we should do if we can't succeed?"He asked in a mysterious tone.

"What do you mean Naxos?"Phantine asked.

"What I mean is, what do we do if the crystal of fire cannot be removed from it's setting.Or if Dawne doesn't come before the guards do, what then?"Naxos asked them the same way that a kindergarten teacher asks her class what comes after 99.

Silence resumed in the room.No one knew.

***

Inside of the Guardian's recruiting center Kain watched as many men entered minute after minute hour after hour.While so few left, suddenly though one man finally caught Kain's eye.A large man who had an equally large feeling about himself.His jacket that he wore displayed his pride in himself in full detail.Showing golden eagles, silver stars, and bronze swords.Kain followed that man through the winding streets of Baron.Thinking how odd it was that this man did not possess other means of transportation, if he looked so high-ranking an officer.Suddenly the man turned around and spotted Kain in his tan colored trench coat.Kain kept walking though as the man stopped and then said to him."Why you following me, boy?"

"I'm not."

"Yes you are, I've seen you in the corner of my eye sense I left the offices."Kain maintained his straight, almost dead face."Now look I ain't goin' to let you lie to me again.So speak up boy."

"I have nothing to say to you other than I was not following you."

Furry filled the man's face.Suddenly his fist came to crush Kain's own face, but stopped dead in its tracts.A gloved hand was now almost crushing it.Surprise was now the thing that filled the man's face."Who, who are you.Are you a Paladin in disguise?I swear I'm loyal, I swear it please you've got to believe me."

Kain found the blubbering of the man disgusting and released his grip, a thought rushed through Kain's mind at that moment."Hmm, I think I may have to test your loyalty."

"Please I'll do anything just say that I'm loyal, let them know.The only reason I was sneaking out early was because of my kid.He wants me to help him with some math homework, or something I swear it.I swear it."

"I believe you."Kain said in an almost dead voice, copying the one that the gray man had used in the 'encounter' that Kain had with him in Phantine's and Dekan's hide-away."Only that's not the kind of evidence I need, I want you to tell me everything you know."

"Everything?"

"Everything that you know about the Guardian himself, I could be wrong but I think you might know him a bit more intimately then most others."

"Not really.I've been to his Tower many times but I've never really spoken to him.I guess I kind of spoke through one of his lieutenant's before.Is that what your talking about."

Kain nodded his head and thought to himself."If the Guardian can use fear to his advantage so can I."

"Those who write reviews shall be Karmicly rewarded."

-Kain DeLuman


	10. Promises of Honor and Life

Promises of Honor and Life

Note: Most persons places and things in this fanfic are probably owned by

Squaresoft inc. so please don't sue.

Promises of Honor and Life 

The road to the Mt. Ordeals was one just like any other.The only difference was the fact that it was surrounded on both sides by a forest, that stretched as far as Naxos could see.It was a very boring ride.Suddenly the ground transportation cruiser (or gtc) stopped right in front of the complex area.A loud voice came over the intercom and said, "All right everybody, this is the end of the line.So get off, or you'll be stuck on here for a good ten hours."Naxos looked at his two traveling companions, he had been disgusted by the way Phantine had slept in Dekan's lap, but at least now he finally had an excuse to wake them up.

"Hey, come on you two.We have to get off now."Phantine and Dekan slowly woke up, and realized they were at their destination.Naxos got up and began looking around at the other people inside of the gtc.Ever sense he had left the land of the summoned, he had become more and more disgusted by humanity.Every second that he looked around and viewed the disgusting creatures he could fell their corruption, their greed, their arrogance and ignorance.At least the two that sat across from him were not exactly ignorant.

Naxos grabbed his small bag from over his seat and hung it on his back, then he pulled down his two companions bags as well and handed them to them.The three walked off of the gtc and looked around at the countryside that surrounded them."Just think this is one of the only major forests left standing."Phantine said and then gazed up."I've never seen so many trees in my life, and they're so huge."And soon Dekan took her lead and looked up at the trees himself.Naxos began walking toward the complex ahead of them.

"Hold up Naxos!"Dekan nearly shouted while he and Phantine ran to catch up with Naxos.When they finally caught up with him, Dekan stopped Naxos by grabbing his shoulder."Naxos, you have to enjoy life more.I mean look at these trees.Have you ever seen anything more beautiful, or unique in your life."

"I don't know; I've never really paid much attention to beauty."

"Why not?"Phantine asked him, sounding rather upset.

"I don't know; I just have never really looked at things in that way before.I prefer, looking at things through the eyes that cannot see beauty or anything superficial like that, that way my view of what is going on is unblemished by opinion, I see only truth."

"Well."Phantine sniffed.

The three of them walked together towards the complex so that they could get their bearings straight and find a map of the area, or two and supply themselves for the journey up the mountain.Naxos was walking next to Dekan when he whispered."Phantine seems a bit more feisty then usually, is anything wrong or should I even ask?"

"You shouldn't."Dekan said with a wink and smile that made Naxos realize that nothing, terrible unusual was wrong with Phantine, only something that seemed to happen every month.

Inside the complex Dekan and Phantine went to a very small restaurant/grocery store, to buy food for their, "little outing" as Phantine put it.While they were stocking up on supplies Naxos visited the visitors center and after a long conversation with the lady behind the desk about how maps of the area should be free, gave here three coins for two maps.After that he began to walk towards the area where he told Phantine and Dekan to meet him.Once he got there he made sure he was always watching to make sure he could see when Phantine and Dekan were coming towards him.Suddenly, Naxos heard footsteps behind him, and without thought or pause, a spell was on his lips and ready to jump from his fingers and deal death by his bidding.Though when Naxos had turned around he saw a small girl behind him, obviously lost and whimpering softly.

"What's the matter their, little one."Naxos said in a calm not necessarily friendly, but polite voice.

"My mommy, I, I, I, don't know where she went."The little girl replied.She sounded very afraid to tell Naxos, but she also must have realized that she could do nothing else.

"Where and when did you last see her?"

"In the woods up there."She said pointing to into the thick of the wooded area."And it was about, an hour ago, maybe."Naxos looked down at this small six maybe seven year old and realized that he had no idea what to do.The mother was obviously looking for her, so wandering around the woods himself would, if anything else, decrease the chance of finding her.He couldn't just bring her along to the Mountains.Naxos realized also that the spot where he was, was exactly where he had told Phantine and Dekan to meet him.["When you're done you will find me three hundred paces into the forest, start walking from that tree over their dead-east and you will find me.Or probably more likely I will find you."]Naxos now felt as lost and confused as the child, because if his two companions saw him with this child and figured out that he did not know what to do, they would laugh at him.No!He could not allow that to happen he was superior to them, not the other way around.

Suddenly he realized his own stupidity, put his bag down from his back and wrote on a piece of paper."I'll be back in a short while, sorry.I have 'errands' to run."And with that he took the girl's hand and led her off towards the complex.Though he first walked about 50 paces to the north in order to avoid Phantine and Dekan.

When they finally reached the complex Naxos handed over the little girl to the information center woman that he had argued with before.Now though instead of yelling, she praised him for his valor.Naxos had no time though to sit around while women enlarged his head.So Naxos retreated back to the woods as soon as he could in order to meet up with Dekan and Phantine in hopes that he hadn't kept them waiting to long.

Naxos ran through the forest trying to find where his companions were.He began to make out their figures in the distance and so he decided to slow to a jog.When he finally came to them Dekan looked up from the ground he had been staring at, and asked."Where the hell have you been Naxos?Me and Phantine have been waiting nearly twenty minutes."

"As I wrote down, I had some errands to run."Naxos said trying to give away nothing that had just happened."Now, are you two ready to continue?"

"Of course, Naxos."Dekan said insultedly.Naxos began to wonder if it was his time of the month as well.

***

The mountain paths of Mt. Ordeals were not completely treacherous; they were however near completely clogged up with ice and snow.This was very unfortunate because no one had realized just how cold the weather actually was on mountaintops and all three had come grossly unequipped and grossly unprepared.

"Naxos."Phantine said as loudly and quickly as her near frozen mouth could say."Can't you use some kind of warmth effect magic or whatever you would call it so that my legs don't fall off."She demanded.

Naxos wanted to laugh at the comment, but then his common sense kicked in.He wanted to laugh at her because she was so weak in his eyes.Naxos on the other hand was taking his time up here in the freezing mountains to help him deal with the cold better."Very well," Naxos said after a couple of seconds; it did upset him though that he had to try to keep his teeth from chattering."Pyinargeo, nin alou mintep.Areualooy di yahsin a grossbour."And with those arcane words the air around Phantine and Dekan rose in temperature by quite a bit.

"Thanks."Phantine said with relief.

"I didn't ask for your warmth, Naxos."Dekan said quite bluntly.

Naxos turned around to face Dekan only to see a light appearing behind from him."Both of you, duck!"

All three of them dropped to the ground, as an opening appeared about fifty feet behind where they were standing.No one said a word as three men with large rifles came out of the opening and looked around in the party's general direction.Naxos whispered to his companions."They must have some kind of thermal scanners."

"No, ya think."Dekan said as silently as possible, while also as sarcastic and insulting as possible.

Naxos watched as the three men took out binoculars and at that moment he decided to act."Shiva, mis keld yallen turan sa voll.Adie muen." 

With the release of the final word a shimmering blue, beautiful woman clad in only ice, appeared before Naxos and said."Naxos what is your will."

"Freeze those three soldiers down there."

"As you will."And with that more ice began to form from her hands, only this ice was not ice, but more of ice like energy.The energy swirled and convulsed, growing and growing.Suddenly one of the three soldiers noticed what was going on above him and signaled to his companions, but it was far too late for them.The ice energy had grown to its peek and now it was released.It shot out from Shiva's hands; Naxos could feel from as far away as he was from the energy that it was a blizzard, to chill the heart of winter, flew towards the soldiers and engulfed them in ice and snow.Within moments the three were completely frozen, and the ice that now made up their bodies was beginning to crack.Suddenly one of the soldiers exploded and sent shards of blood and ice everywhere into the snow, then a second sent his remains throughout the region and then finally the last.Naxos considered them lucky though, by the time the blizzard hit them they were dead. 

Shiva, with her duty done, blinked out of existence and back into the realm of the summoned.Naxos looked at his companions ready to run and lead them into the opening.He saw the look in their eyes though and that paused him for a moment.Absolute horror was frozen on both of their faces.They had never seen anything like that before, Naxos realized.Though he knew they still didn't have time to sit in horror.He stood up and nearly pulled both of his companions to their feet and whispered as loud as he could "Come on.We have to get down there now before more come, or they close the opening."Dekan nodded back to him, and Phantine, though looking about to cry, nodded as well. 

All three ran down to the opening fighting the chilling winds as they ran.They finally reached the opening and entered into the underground complex.

Inside of the complex, Naxos looked around at everything that was inside.They were in a small room with three seats; next to the seats were a vast array of computers, keyboards, phones, and other technological objects.Naxos looked at the screens.On them he could make out other parts of the complex: corridors, elevators, what were probably barracks, what looked to be a small hospital, a gym, several of them were focused on the outside of the mountain itself, and there was also a host of other things that a person could probably find in a small town.Though after a few seconds of looking a screen the screen blinked and showed a new location."This is either a control center or a security position. Either way, this is a lot better then coming in through the garage like we originally planed."Phantine said with relief heavy on her breath.

Dekan pressed a button next to the entrance that closed it.Suddenly warmth filled the area and everyone finally felt the ice on their bodies begging to melt off.Suddenly a voice called out from something that looked like a microphone standing up out the controls."Hey you guys back?What did you find out there, I told you it would be some rabbit or something, was I right or what?"The voice on the other end asked impatiently and in a very unintelligent accent.

Dekan nearly ran over to the microphone and spoke into it while pressing down a control."Yupp."He said in a voice that sounded very generic.

"Not talking much now are you, well I wouldn't be either if I'd just lost 10 coin on a stupid bet!Well I gotta talk to the commander so I collect that from you later, all right."With the end the voices taunting Dekan pressed the button again and began to crumble inaudibly into the microphone.The voice came back again only this time all it did was laugh and then vanish.

"You changed your voice very well.How did you do that?"Naxos asked Dekan.

Phantine answered for him."Well Dekan here was always a fan of television and always use to pretend he was the characters on them.So he got real good at controlling his voice."Naxos nodded at that; it was a very good skill to have in situations like this.One that Naxos would like to have had as well.

"Well are we going or not."Dekan said in a voice that reminded Naxos of his own.Which earned him a cold stare from Naxos and a fit of laughs from Phantine."Seriously, what do you guys want to do?"

After a fairly long conversation it was determined that the first step would be opening the door to next room, however arguments persisted after that.These arguments steamed from what they could understand from the screens being shown before them.Though only Naxos and Phantine really watched the screens, Dekan started to look through a computer directory before him. "It's like trying to put together a giant jigsaw puzzle that won't stand still."Phantine said.

"Look there it is again," Dekan said with the glory of being right in his words."On two different screens and both looked very different.Two reactors.Now we just have to guess which on holds the crystal of fire."

"Could they have broken it in two?"Phantine asked.

"No."Dekan said with the force of order behind him."I don't think it's possible, from listening to Kain, I got the impression of impossibility when it comes to a crystal's destruction."

"No."Dekan said."Look at this panel.It says right here about a primary control reactor at the peak.And it also talks here about a primary energy coupler at the base."

There was a pause and then Phantine said."If we have to split up...I don't want to have to split up Dekan."

"I don't think we are going to have much of a choice.Naxos doesn't know technology and computers like we do.One of us is going to have to go without him.And it's not going to be me Phantine, you and him are going to go to the one in the that is in the base of this mountain.I'm going to the one at the peak.Now get some uniforms from out of that closet and let's get going.No, don't say anything Phantine, I don't want to think or say anything more on this, okay."

"I understand."She said in a very sheepish voice that touched Naxos's heart with sorrow and sympathy.She went to the closet like opening and pulled out three uniforms."I doubt they're our exact sizes, but I don't see anything more that we can do."Phantine said trying to remain calm and quite.Though Naxos saw a small tear drop from her eye and slide down her cheek.She was thinking that Dekan was most probably not going to survive.

Dekan must have seen the tear as well."Now look, Phantine I have to go and deactivate that reactor.Look here."Dekan pointed down at the control panel that he had been reading from before."It says here that the peak reactor must be shut off in order to move the 'fire reaction coupler chrysalis' and something tells me that I know what this, fire reaction whatever is."Dekan paused and looked at Phantine eyes."And don't you dare try and think that I won't make it out of this alive.Kain told me that I was to be a Dragoon; that he would make sure of that.Well, I can't be a Dragoon if I'm dead now can I.Me becoming a Dragoon was also a promise that I made to Kain.And you know that I keep every single one of my promises."

"Then make me a promise, Dekan."Phantine begged him quietly.

Dekan was looking deep into Phantine's eyes.Then he gave her a promise that Naxos could tell by the way that he said it, not even the grave itself could keep a promise like that from coming true.

"Those who write reviews shall be Karmicly rewarded."

-Kain DeLuman


	11. 

Reborn

Note: Most persons places and things in this fanfic are probably owned bySquaresoft inc. so please don't sue.

Reborn

Naxos and Phantine were walking through the maze of hallways inside of the Ordeals Reactor Facility, as they had learned it was called.Luckily because of the soldier uniforms they had donned they were never once suspected for anything more then what they appeared to be.Occasionaly someone would look at Phantine strangely though, thinking of how odd it was to see a female soldier, but not so odd that they needed to stop whatever it was that they were doing.Phantine looked through the numerous windows in the numerous doors to see what was going on inside of the facility.Unfortunately, though she could never make out anything that they scientists were doing. After about half an hour of wandering the hallways of the facility, they finally found what they were looking for, the elevator to the main basement and reactor facility.

At this point Naxos knew that he could do nothing but hope and pray that Phantine knew what she was doing.He put his back to her to cover her meddling with the controls of the elevator.Many times workers and occasionally scientist walked by.Once one of the researchers approached them and asked."Is that damned elevator down again?"

Naxos gave him a reluctant nod in return and also a look filled with disgust and confusion as to why the elevator was down again.After a couple of minutes though the doors opened and a Phantine turned around and said."Tahh dahh."With that they both entered the elevator and began their ride down.After about another minute, the elevator slowed and came to a sudden stop the doors opened and they looked on at the site before them in absolute wonder.

The room they were looking at appeared to be nearly a quater of a mile long, and a couple hundred feet wide, not to mention at least a hundred feet tall.Though the entire center of the room was blocked off by what looked to be a clear glass container.There was a perimeter where only a few scientists and workers did their jobs to make sure that the reactor ran smoothly and safely; all of them looked very board.Inside of the container, about every fifty feet, two large columns sprang up from the ground and stuck through into the ceiling.The columns themselves appeared to bewhat was drawing, collecting and moving the energy to the upper part of the facility.In the very center of the room though something filled the entire container, it appeared to be a solid block of rock, or metal.However, their were small glass holes inside of the container so that a red glow could be seen from the center.About every three to five seconds a pulse of red energy would flow through the container, just like a wave along a beach.Naxos could tell from his arcane training that the energy being sent out was the pure essence of fire.Though with all of the energy flowing throughout the room it was so quite that anyone could hear a coin hit the floor.

They had both been standing just outside of the elevator for only a few seconds when a guard stepped before them, looked them over and said."Who are you, what are you doing here."

"Sir, I am corporal Sands and this is corporal Delina, we are here to help in the assistance of the guarding of this part of the reactor facility.Sir!"Naxos shouted out in normal military fashion.

"All right, I didn't hear anything about either of you two, but to be honest; nobody ever tells me anythig, that and I could use a break myself.So here is what's gunna happen, I'm going up there to get a drink and then find out what the hell it is that your doing here; all right."

"Sir, yes sir."Said both Phantine and Naxos in perfect unison.With that the commander moved right in between the two of them as they moved out of the elevator.Just as the doors began to close though Naxos muttered."Uoorsus, din blanva."and a small bolt of electricity flew from Naxos's halfway-outstreched right arm and hit the commander.The commander collapsed in a heap behind them.Then the doors closed and Naxos could hear the elevator moving up.

Phantine turned around quickly to stared at Naxos and then she said."You didn't kill him, you know, or did you.Because if you did..."

"Don't worry, he's not dead."Naxos whispered to Phantine."Although it will look like he suffered some kind of a heart attack or a stroke or something like that, when they find him."

"You don't actually think that they aren't going to suspect anything.Or that he won't wake up to tell them about what happened before..."

"By that time my dear, Dekan will have finished his duty and we will grab the crystal and run.And also look around, if you haven't noticed there are only eight more guards in this entire room and only two elevator entrances.Even if we get found out we should be fine. Don't worry."

"How can I not worry?"She asked Naxos hopelessly.

***

Dekan kept walking up and up through the stairway that would eventually take him to the peak of this forsaken mountain.All the while he was thinking and talking to himself.What kept popping up in his head though was thoughts of how he could escape.To be honest he really didn't know.He had seen pictures of the place where he was going though.It looked more like a control center then anything else.

From what he had seen of the room the entire perimeter was lined with computer terminals.The floor itself, for the most part, was open; with the exception of a large room jutting out in the center.

Suddenly two soldiers came running down through the stairs and stopped when they saw him.One of the soldiers looked at him in his ill-fitting uniform and said."Couldn't find a good tailor so they sent you here huh."The taller one on the right of Dekan said, laughing.

"Something like that.Why they send you two over here, huh."Dekan said trying to create the neutrality of voice he had spoken with when he talked through the microphone about an hour before.

"Well, me and him we did something interesting to the captains quarters, I guess you could say." Said the shorter one on the left."But I ain't telling you, though you will probably find out by tomorrow, gossip spreads fast in a boring place like this don't it."

"Yepp, I guess it does.Well then I best get going."And with that Dekan began to run up through the stairs.Though he heard a voice behind him say.

"Hehh, don't worry about you walking before, we won't tell anybody.Though what's your name."Dekan pretended that he hadn't heard the last part of that.After about a good three minutes of running, Dekan stopped and began to walk.It felt to him like he was delaying the inevitable.

Suddenly Dekan could see the end of his climb and began to run at the joy that seeing it brought.When he finally reached the door he saw right above it a security camera, one that he himself had looked through already, though he thought that a couple of other security rooms looked through this one as well.Dekan ducked behind the camera and removed a small wire from it effectively blacking out whoever else that was on the other side.With that done, now all he had to do was open the door.He looked at the handle itself, it looked like every other turn nob handle of every other door he had seen in his life.To his surprise when he turned it, the door opened."If I didn't know any better I'd have said that was too easy."Fortunately though as he stepped through into the control room no bells and whistles began to shout out that he had arrived.

Dekan looked around the room, it was exactly what he had seen before.A few different people here and there, but none of them were terrible busy, or terrible bored.All seemed content, heck there was only eight guards in the entire room.At that point a melody began to pour through his head as he drew his quaterspear form behind his back.The melody was that of a song that Kain had taught him, the dance of the wind, he had called it.With melody calming his mind and quaterspear ready in his hand.He went to work.

Their were two guards about five feet apart each staring at him as he entered the door and both drew their guns as he took out his quaterspear, but that was fruitless effort for them.Like a gust of wind Dekan moved himself and his quaterspear from his hands and brought it down upon the neck of the guard to his right then leaping onto the falling guard and using him nearly as a springboard bolted himself back, through, and unto the second guard who unfortunately received a small slice and stab through his neck.Both were out and down, if they were not dead, then they soon would be.

This obviously drew attention, and within seconds each of the other guards who were spread about in the room drew their weapons and Dekan could feel each individual piece of metal flying throughout the room.Though that didn't stop him from running, leaping, rolling and flying at the next guard who tried to run away but was stabbed through one of his vertebrae.Suddenly there was a great pain in his left arm, but Dekan followed Kain's advice.[Ignore all pain, as soon as you feel the pain you have surrendered to it and that will be your downfall.Just pretend that it is not their as soon as it comes.Don't even look to see what has happened until the battle or the fight is over.]

Dekan could feel the wind around him as he spun through two more guards who had been standing side by side.They collapsed as he then rushed onto two more that now were reloading their rifles.They were unable to finish reloading as a spear point was thrust through ones temple, while another had his forehead bashed in by the opposite side of Dekan's quaterspear.With that Dekan could relax he had silenced all of the guards attacking him, though suddenly with the clanging of an alarm he knew that he could not relax, his eyes drew to another soldier right next to the entrance into the center room.Dekan decided to show the scientists in the room that he could take any of them out just as simply as any soldier by pulling out his own automatic pistol and firing one shot directly at the soldier who had his hand on the button.He fell over and Dekan looked around throughout the room at each scientist, at each worker, and said."Now that that messy business is over with, could anyone tell me how to open up the fire reaction core facility or whatever the hell that thing down in the basement is called."

***

Phantine was frightened as she heard the alarm claxon banging.Suddenly everyone stopped working as a pair of solders went over to a computer terminal.After looking at it one said."It's up in the command center, nothing we can do about that from here, is there."He said almost laughing.No one else in the gigantic room laughed though.Though that may have been because maybe only half could hear him.

Phantine and Naxos remained by the door though and watched and wondered as to what was going to happen.Suddenly Dekan began to walk towards the pair of soldiers in front of the terminal, and motioned for Phantine to follow.As they began walking towards the two guards at their terminal something began to rumble and the room started to shake.Suddenly a large opening appeared in the metal cube that radiated fire.As it opened the essence flowing from that part of the cube began to shoot out at an alarming rate.Every single scientist and worker in the room began to run for their life towards the two elevator doors at the two ends of the long room.Suddenly Phantine looked over at Dekan as she saw he beginning to mumble his arcane words or whatever they were again.Every time she heard them she nearly cringed in fear after seeing what happened to the three guards on the mountain.This time though instead of a beautiful woman of ice appear, a large demon of hell blinked in, right next to Naxos and spoke in a voice gruff enough for a living slab of rock."Master I obey your summons, what do you wish of me."

"Kill all in this room besides myself and this girl here.Also open a place through to that giant metal cube over there."

"I understand and obey, master."The demon said silently.Though what happened next was nothing close to silent.

The demon began radiating fire across its body and soon it flew around the perimeter room engulfing every living thing that it passed in an inferno of flame and death.It took the demon maybe fifteen seconds to round the entire perimeter of the room.Then it stopped before Dekan again and said, "Now I will open the way to the crystal of fire for you."Fire began to jute out from the demon's hand.Within seconds the glass like substance melted away and then the demon opened a hole in the glass-like-substance large enough for it to fit through; and that was saying something because the demon itself must have been at least twelve feet tall and four or five feet across.As soon as it entered the inner room though it backed back into the outer perimeter and said."It is too dangerous in there, even for me.I would suggest Rahum master.Though now my duty is complete."The demon bowed and vanished just as it had appeared.

Before Naxos could begin chanting again though Phantine asked."What the hell was that?!?!"

"The hell, hmm a good term to use for Ifrit."He said answering her question then he went back to his arcane ramblings again and this time an old man blinked into existence next to both of them.

He looked around at the room then noticing Naxos and said."Master I obey your summons, what do you wish of me."

"Can you make some kind of electrical field so that you and the two of us here,"Naxos said pointing to Phantine."can enter quickly and remove the crystal of fire form there."

"I can."Was all that the old man said as he entered through the opening in what used to look like a glass-like wall.Suddenly a large field formed around the man almost looking like a blue bubble, then he said."Are you two coming, or not?"With that Naxos entered into the bubble and Phantine thought to herself, what the hell.

As the three crossed to the center of the room wave after wave hit the blue sphere and almost seemed to reflect off.Usually Phantine was pretty curious about these types of things, but at this point she decided it was better probably not to ask a man that, if Naxos's previous friends were any clue, could wipe away an entire city without breaking a sweat. 

When they reached the block in the center Phantine looked inside.What she saw within the cube was a large red crystal the exact same size and shape of all the other crystals she had seen inside of the Tower of Babil.The only difference was that there were about seven wires or cords coming out of the crystal itself.Rahum extended another bubble around the crystal and the bubble around the crystal severed the cords and wires.With the severance the force stopped coming from the crystal and it began to glow more radiantly as Rahum realized the sphere around the three and brought the crystal over to Naxos and realized the crystal's sphere letting it fall into Naxos' waiting arms.Then Rahum looked at Naxos and said."Now my duty is complete.I must leave you."Though before he blinked out he whispered to Phantine, "I used a static field."and then he was gone.

At that point Naxos looked over at Phantine and said."I'm sending the single to Dawne now."

Phantine whispered to herself."Dekan." And then watched as Naxos closed his eyes and send out some kind of telepathic single that would hopefully bring Dawne very soon.

***

The thirty soldiers had now forced Dekan into the room in the center of the command center.He looked around at its beauty, it was a hall of mirrors.Everywhere, he could see himself, on the floor on the walls, and even to the top of the ceiling, although at the top there were no mirrors, only glass.Dekan looked at all of the reflections of himself and then he felt himself let go.Now he could feel each of the three bullet wounds in him one on his leg, one on his arm, and one through his gut.Pain racked his body.

Suddenly two soldiers entered into the room and noticed Dekan, who had just collapsed onto the floor."I'm going to enjoy kicking your bucket, boy."One said.

At that moment Dekan lost all hope, he lost all feeling, and all connection to the real world.He could no longer even see the world.All that he could see was his life ending before his eyes.Everything exited Dekan, he was gone.He was now left to the four winds to scatter about.He was no more.He was no one.Suddenly, the light of day shown down through the window at the top of the room.Dekan thought without thought."Dien ty uinz, Dien hbain, Dien Yallgr, Task bva omnia mori temble do ya vall ya ua Medus."But now he did not hear the ruin words, now he heard "I am dead, I am reborn, I am always, and as I have lost life I shall protect the life that I can on this world."

Dekan stood up and looked at one of the soldiers who still pointed his rifle at Dekan and said."You cannot kill me, for I am already dead.And now the four winds shall scatter me across the world."With that, the glass above Dekan's head shattered and fell upon all within the room.The soldiers flinched at the pain the shards brought, while not a one touched Dekan.Suddenly an icy wind could be heard above the room, and then the wind came down into the room, in a torrent and swept away all of the soldiers.And then it lifted Dekan up and then Dekan said to himself."I am Dragoon."

"Those who send reviews shall be karmicly rewarded."

-Kain DeLuman


	12. Shadows

Shadows

Note: Most persons places and things in this fanfic are probably owned by

Squaresoft inc. so please don't sue.

Shadows

Kain and Dawne looked up at the monstrous tower looming before them.At the top of the tower they could now clearly make out who the statue at the top was; Cecil in all of his glory, holding above his head the crystal sword that vanquished Zeromus.Seeing that gave Kain increased the amount of rage, rage that was already towering within him.

Dawne looked at Kain's face, it was not showing the inferno inside of him, all that it openly revealed, was granite."Kain, are you sure you want to do this now, I mean we can just walk back and prepare more for this.This is the most highly guarded building in the world.We might do for some more preparation."

Kain just looked back at Dawn's face, and then began to walk toward the entry gate to the Tower.Dawne rushed to catch up with him.

["Stay behind me at all costs Dawne, at all costs.In fact don't even let them see you.I can take bullets in the chest with my armor, but you can't."Kain told Dawne as they sat at their hotel room's table.

"You talk to me as though I were a coward, a thief, or an infant, I am none of those things Kain, and I am a caller.Probably the most powerful of all callers now, so don't you dare tell me to stay in the back."Dawne told Kain, and suddenly a thought crossed Kain's mind; yet she can't kill a tiny spider.

"Dawne," Kain started calmly."Cecil told the exact same thing to Rosa; and Edge told the exact same thing to Rydia.Now I tell this to you, not because you're a coward, or a thief, or any of those other things, but because you are a caller."Kain stopped to look her in the eyes so that he could better appeal to her sense of logic."You are a mage, and in all military formations, mages are put in the back ranks.I used to be a tactician, remember, so trust me.I'm not telling you this because you're weak, but because that is how things are done."Kain ended trying to make his voice sound as hard as the point he had just made.

"Very well, but I just want you to know that I'm going to be fighting just as hard as you, if not harder.You have no idea how hard it is to summon or cast."Dawne said trying to aid a retort to her submission.

"No I don't."]

Kain, with his trench coat hanging around him and a mask over his face, looked at the man behind the glass who was busy watching the security cameras."I need to get in."Was all Kain said.

The man turned around to see who it was.When he did see his face became filled with horror."Your that guy from the news and..."

"And if you don't open that gate right now, you are going to die, it's just that simple.How much do you love your guardian?"Kain asked with a calm fury backing his voice.

"I never saw you," The gate opened."Whoever you are."

Kain looked at the man one last time and said, "If any kind of alarm goes off in there and I find out it's your fault, you die."And with that Kain went through the gate and into the Tower in a root as straight as any of Rosa's bowshots.Dawne followed him, moving from shadow to shadow.

["At every point where it will be necessary I will try to divert anyone's attention.That way no one will even notice you Dawne."Kain said, sounding like to her like her father.]

The main room of the tower looked to be four hallways that opened up in the center to an information center, or a clerk's desk, or whatever it was.

Kain approached the clerk at the front desk of the tower."Where is the nearest elevator?"The clerk who was already talking on the phone with someone else didn't even see Kain but pointed to her right."Thank you."Kain replied.

As Kain walked downward through one of the halls two guard came towards him.Both looked quite formidable, tall, muscle bound, and looking none to bright.One looked Kain up and down and then asked."This guy look familiar to you Fred."

"Slightly Transkandasia."

"What's your name, boy?"

"They call me Kain."

"Kain," Fred said with a few questions in his small mind."Kain who."

"Kain, servant of the Guardian.Now let me through or I shall have both of your hides for breakfast.Or actually it's closer to noon, so lunch, yes lunch."

Both guards now looked terribly confused and they both made room for Kain to pass by them.They both watched him walk towards the elevator and neither noticed the young women that shadowed him.

"That was close, o' servant of the Guardian."Dawne said mockingly.

["Kain, I think it would be unwise to attack anyone until we get to the crystal.It think if we did they might be able to shut off the elevator's and then where would we be?"Dawne asked Kain.]

"It worked didn't it."Kain whispered to Dawne, though both were staring at the elevator door so that no one would think they were talking to each other.

Suddenly a ding was heard as the elevator doors opened and three men stepped out.All three had the grayness about them.Kain, who had removed his mask on entering the Tower, turned his face to the ground thinking, "I cannot be found out, I will not fail."

The three gray men passed Kain by without even a look at either of their faces.Kain and Dawne entered into the elevator with him.Kain scanned the buttons on the elevator's side.Deciding that if he was the leader of the world he would put something of immense value in the basement.But, then again, Kain had heard quite a bit the Guardian's feeling of invulnerability and as such he would probably put the crystal at the top so that all eyes could see his magnificent, or something to that effect.As such, Kain pressed to button numbered, 89.The highest floor reachable by this elevator.But Kain would wager that it wasn't the highest floor in the tower. 

The elevator doors closed and Kain and Dawne began their accent.Dawne looked at Kain and said."When we get up there they will ask us for I.D., you know that don't you?"Kain nodded."Well then, what are we going to do about that?"

"How would you like to distract them, Dawne?"Kain asked.

"You're just coming up with this as you go along aren't you."

"I don't need a plan, just a goal.The rest will follow."Kain said, Dawne giggled at him."What?"

"You're just too series.You're too caught up with trying to be a hero of legend that you're forgetting to be human."Kain gave a slight growl at that remark.

"Look Dawne, if you really wanted you could summon someone else to do the distracting for you."With that Dawne smiled.

After about another minute the door opened to a very small room with two doors behind on very large desk with two women behind computer terminals working away.On the side of both doors were four guards, and not just ordinary guards, gray guards.As Kain surveyed the room he heard Dawne mumbling something aracanic and then a shape materialized behind them in the elevator and stepped out.A woman who was about two inches shorter then Kain, she was wearing what looked to be full queen regalia.She whispered something into Dawne's ear, and then Dawne whispered something back.Kain couldn't tell exactly what was said but he had a very strong notion.

"Asura, good to see you again."Kain said to the woman as she passed them by.Asura turned her head around looked into Kain's eyes and then nodded and began to approach a pair of guards on one side of the elevator.Kain and Dawne began to follow her.Though she turned around and gave a facial signal to them that said, wait here.

Asura approached the guards and began talking to them; they just stood there and looked forward.Kain thought to himself, "At least they're very well trained guards.This guardian isn't as much of a total idiot as I thought, who ever he is."Asura bounced her hair and then put her finger in her mouth in order to look innocent, but nothing appeared to be working.Then Asura took out her sword from her belt and hacked both of them through the middle, in about a quarter of a second; they both collapsed on the spot. On of the secretaries at the desk heard something and thus glanced over to see what had happened.Though Dawne was one step ahead of the scream that was about to be sent out and shot a bolt of electricity straight though the secretary who was about to notice them and then another bolt flew from her hands at the other secretary.The other two guards noticed this and rushed out of their doorway.Both took automatic pistols out from their backs and began to fire shots at Kain.At that point Kain's spear came from the back of his trench coat.And then he lunged himself towards the two guards, though he lunged without the powers of the wind, a great mistake.Kain was expecting two kill the two very fast, he was wrong.Both of the guards dropped their guns and with the speed and dexterity of an Elbanian, began to deflect and dodge Kain's jabs and thrusts.Both began to attack Kain, and each scored hits on him, hits that did damage to Kain somehow through his armor; luckily though his armor did not shatter from the punches and kicks sent at him.Kain came at the two with everything he had, but to no avail.Each time he tried to strike they would parry and counter strike.Kain then leaped back out of the fray to the side of the room.He hit the wall and then with the force of the north winds behind him, he leaped across the room and his spear point was thrust straight through one of the gray men's skull.Suddenly the second gray man's face twisted and contorted in pain.With such a nice distraction, Kain used the butt of his spear to crack open the second gray man's face.Blood began to pool everywhere in the room.Kain looked behind him at Dawne, first he noticed that Asura was gone; second he noticed that Dawne'sjaw had dropped."Their are men that have skills as great as mine, Dawne, it's nothing you should be surprised about."Especially men who have been trained in the arts of the paladin, such as these men were, Kain thought to himself."Come on though we have to go, somehow these paladin's can feel each others deaths."

Kain approached Dawne as she opened the door in front of her.Inside of the room were row upon row of offices, not really offices though, they were much smaller and they didn't connect to the ceiling; also, they only looked as though they were temporary structures.Kain looked around the room, trying to find an elevator that would lead him to the top floors of the Tower.Suddenly a set of doors opened at the other end of the room and four gray men stepped out."Crap."Kain said relatively silently.

The four gray men noticed Kain and Dawne, and ran to get closer to them. Dawne knew exactly what she needed to do; as such she began her arcanic ritual."Ygen grenn di halisogrosa, naga."With the last word let loose she thrust both of her hands at the four men coming towards them.Kain thought he had recognized those words, and he was right.Suddenly, the four gray man flashed green for less then a second and then they slowed down from run to jog, then from jog to walk, then they collapsed on the floor.Kain watched with an iron stomach as the bodies of the four gray men were slowly being devoured from the inside out.Kain looked at Dawne and said."Quickly to the elevators before they close."And Kain and Dawne ran to the elevators on the other side of the room.Running past the grays that were slowly, but surly being eaten alive by a form of virus that Kain himself had experienced thanks to Zeromus, and Kain did not wish to contract that again.When Kain and Dawne finally reached he elevator the entered inside of it just as the doors closed.

Kain pressed the button that said 95 on it, wondering if that was the top floor or not. Then Dawne looked at him and said."I wonder why no one was inside of those office cubes."

Looking at her Kain responded."I think I did see a few people as a ran by, but the cubes weren't filled your right."

"What day of the week is it Kain?"

Suddenly Kain realized that he really had no idea what day it was, or month, or really even the year for that matter.He had been so preoccupied with his plans that he had never even asked."Sense almost no one was in there I would suppose it's Sat Day, or Sun Day, but really I have no idea."

"Hmm."Was all the response Dawne could give before the elevator doors opened with a nice ding.

The room that the elevator door opened into was another waiting room, where a large desk sat with one, very old woman behind it.Before Kain approached the old secretary he spook silently to Dawne."See if you can't disable the elevator so that no reinforcements end up bothering us."Dawne nodded as she turned around and began a silent chant.

Kain looked at the secretary and nearly shouted."What lies beyond those doors?"

The secretary, who had been writing something down this entire time, didn't even look up as she said."If you're up here, then you should know."

"I don't have time for games, old hag.Now tell me or I shall send your skin to a tanner's hut."The woman looked up and her face showed confusion as well as though it had already been handed to a tanner's, then though Kain remembered that a tanner today was much different from a tanner 750 years ago."Just tell me."Kain said sounding quite fatigued.

"The Guardian's private shrine."She said.

Dawne, who had just come behind Kain, said in his ear."I'd bet anything the crystal of shadows is behind that door."

Kain nodded and then came even closer to the old woman and pulled her up to his face by the scruff of her collar."If you do nothing for the next half hour, you get to live."She nodded and Kain went to the double doors and opened them, with quite the dramatic flare.

Inside, the room was completely black.There was light in the room coming from two braziers that had an eerie dark colored flame coming out though that light didn't seem to matter.All of the walls, the ceiling, the floor, were completely black.Kain could see that in the very back of the room was a very high dais, and on the dais a crystal hovered above the black.Kain walked a few steps into the room though he noticed that Dawne wasn't following him; he turned around to see what was wrong though Kain could see the expression on her face and that meant that she was no longer in the conscience room.After about a second though she came to and said."Kain I have to go now, Naxos is calling me.I talked with him; he told me...I have to go now Kain, I'll see you in a bit, hopefully."With that Dawne began to wink in and out of existence, and then she was gone.

Suddenly Kain felt more alone then he had ever felt in his life, completely surrounded by the blackness sent shivers down his spine."This place feels, so, unholy.I wonder if even Cecil's sacredness could pierce the darkness of this room?"Kain wondered to himself.Then he walked slowly to the dais in the center of the room.

Without warning the twin doors that opened to the room closed with surprising force.Kain could feel dark energies afoot in this place, and it was not just the blackness any more.Kain continued toward the crystal, knowing that he needed to concentrate on the task at hand in order to keep calm.All that mattered now was the crystal.

The closer Kain was to the crystal the more he could feel the darkness, the unholy power.It was like a whirlpool in the center of the dais trying to swallow him up.He could feel it now trying to attack his mind.Trying to do what had already been done to him.Trying to convert him once again to the darkness, convert him away from his friends, convert him so that he could become that Kain the betrayer.He wouldn't let that happen though!Kain summoned up every once of fury, rage, hatred, and ferocity that he had left within him and he continued toward the dais.Every step closer to the dais was bringing him one more step closer to insanity, or betrayal, or maybe both.All that mattered though was the crystal.

Kain's vision began to blur as he reached the first step up to the dais."Three more to go."He said with grim determination hanging deep with his voice.As his vision blurred it began to fade.Now not even the braziers that radiated the dark flame behind the dais gave off light.They had been extinguished!No... Kain realized he was just going blind, that's all.Then he was blind.All that mattered though was the crystal.

Two more steps to go, Kain thought.Suddenly Kain could hear less and less of the fires behind the dais.Until he could not hear them at all.A voice of doubt appeared at the back of his mind."Ready to give up Kain?Is accomplishing this goal worth loosing your senses over?Is it really worth loosing your mind over?Or betraying your friends again?WELL!IS IT!?"The voice cried out, but Kain silenced it.He was not going to give up!All that mattered was the crystal.

One more step and he could reach the crystal he knew that was true, he knew it was.Suddenly air became harder and harder to breath, he tried to gulp all of the air that he could and put it into his lungs.But, it was like trying to breath at the top of mountains.So little air was up there.Though this was worse, there was less and less air.Kain could tell now that there was none.The voice came back to him"NOW YOU'RE GOING TO DIE!YOU WON'T EVEN MAKE IT TO THE CRYSTAL, YOU'LL SUFFOCATE ON YOUR WAY THERE IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT?TO DIE COLD, ALONE, AND IN THE DARKNESS.YOU ARE A WARRIOR DAMN IT.YOU DESERVE TO DIE LIKE ONE.NOT JUST TO SHRIVEL UP, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T BREATH!"Kain tried with every once of his will to ignore the voice.All that mattered was the crystal.

Kain reached the last step before the crystal, now all that he had to do was reach up and take it.Suddenly he could not feel his left leg, and then his right.He could tell he could tell they were still there, or else he would have fallen to the ground, but they were just not there, out of his mind.His left arm was suddenly gone, and then his right.Then Kain's torso suddenly winked out too, and then his neck, and finally he could no longer even feel that his head was there."KNOW YOU ARE DEAD."The voice inside his head mocked him."DON'T YOU GET IT?GIVE UP, GO BACK!LIVE!YOUR LIFE IS ALL THAT MATTERS NOW!TURN AROUND AND GO BACK!GO BACK AND LIVE, STAY AND DIE!"Kain would not listen to that voice he couldn't, too many people.Kain could still think though, he sent a message to his arms that weren't there to reach up and grab the crystal that he could not see, and even if he did retrieve it, he wouldn't even be able to feel.All that mattered was the crystal.

Suddenly everything returned to Kain, he looked at the crystal of shadows tucked in his arms like a baby in its mothers.Kain began to wonder what had happened, was it a shadow created by the crystal to protect itself from Kain.No it couldn't have been.Someone had to have triggered the crystal for it to do anything, everyone knew that.Kain turned around, he wanted to run to the doors and get out of the Tower, any way he could.As he turned around though he noticed the doors were still closed, that had not been part of the shadow.Now though someone stood before the doors, someone as dark as the room itself.

"Those who write reviews shall be Karmicly rewarded."

-Kain DeLuman


	13. Fall of the Tower

Fall of the Tower

Note : Most persons places and things in this fanfic are probably owned by

Squaresoft inc. so please don't sue.

Fall of the Tower

The black figure stepped forward into the dim, black, light.The figure stood nearly seven feet tall and looked to be quite muscular.Although you wouldn't hardly have known whether he was muscular or not because from head to toe he was covered in armor as black as midnight.Kain recognized the figure immediately, his former master, Cecil's brother, puppet of Zeromus, and he was now supposed to be sleeping with the Lunarians."Good to see you again, Kain."Golbez spoke in an awe-inspiring voice.

Kain looked directly into Golbez's visor and said in a voice as solid as any rock."What are you doing here?"

Golbez just looked at Kain for the longest time and then a voice came from him, saying."Haven't you figured it out yet, Kain?I am the Guardian of this world."Kain was filled with shock and disorientation, he dropped the crystal of shadows, but before it hit the ground it slowly rose up, floating just above the surface.

"Why?"Was the only word that Kain could muster in his bewildered state.

"Why, because after about four hundred years of sleep a man gets a little board here and there.You have no idea how hard it is to sleep for that long Kain, or maybe you do.Why are you here, how did you survive the past 750 years?" Golbez asked Kain.

"I... don't really know."Kain said honestly."All that I know is that I found the first Dragoon, and when I prayed before him, he told me I was true Dragoon and then he put me to sleep.When I woke up, I was inside of a coffin under the earth, near Mist.That's all I can really tell you about what happened to me."Kain breathed in reassurance after completing his short story.Though then he looked at Golbez and said."The Lunarians, what happened after you woke them up?"

"I only woke up only a few, but those that I did wake up told me to go back to sleep so that all of you humans could be given time to evolve and grow before the Lunarians joined you."Golbez then gave a small sigh and continued."I couldn't sleep any longer though, I couldn't stand it.So I convinced the ones that I had waken that if I was sent down to Earth that I could prepare the humans for the arrival of the Lunarians.After much arguing the Lunarians agreed that my ideas and reasons were sound, and thus I should be sent down to this world in order to prepare it.So, I got down here with the aid of a Lunarian vessel, not itself unlike the "Big Whale", and when I got here the people greeted me with open arms; they knew that I was their saviors brother.Then I decided to approach the Patriarch, Matriarch and Guardian so that I could tell them why I was here.After discussing everything that I could in order to help humanity with, these three decided that I could best help the world by becoming an advisor, and as such they decided that it would be best if I became an advisor to the Guardian, because at that time the Guardian had the least power."Golbez then laughed slightly."I personally thought it would be better for myself to work under the Patriarch, but that is a long story that you probably do not want to hear.

"After the Guardian I was working under died, everyone decided that I should take over his roll.And as such, I did.After I while though I began to tire over the bureaucracy of having to always talk, and approve my ideas with these other two.So I decided that the world would be run much more efficiently with only one person in charge, and I saw only one man fit for the job at that time, and guess who that was.Now you know Kain, so the question becomes, what are going to do now that you know."

"You haven't told me everything Golbez, and you know it."Kain said trying to create an air of superiority in his voice.

"I told you everything you needed to know Kain; now..."

"I don't care about now Golbez!"Kain shouted with frustration."I just want to know..." Kain took a breath to calm himself, and then asked."How can you live with yourself knowing what the world is like?"

"What do you mean?The world is as close to perfection as it has ever been." Golbez said with grandeur on his voice.

"Perfection, maybe.But at the cost of nearly every persons personal freedoms."

"Freedom is unnecessary in any time, place, or culture for that matter.The only thing that is necessary is order, efficiency, and faith."

"Faith in what?"

"Faith in me, Kain."Golbez paused for a small moment to let the truth of that statement sink into Kain's head."Faith that I will do exactly as is what is necessary.Faith that I know all that needs to be known.Faith that I will lead each and every single person on this planet to a brighter future."

"And faith that that future will be as dark and hopeless as the present."Kain added to Golbez's list.

"Kain, why don't you understand that I'm doing the right thing here?I'm protecting the weak, I'm feeding the starving, I'm preparing the world for the future."

"If you think that a future without freedom, and without hope is a thing that people will look forward to, then you are sorrowfully mistaken."

"Maybe so Kain, but.."

"And let me ask you something else Golbez."Kain interrupted loudly."What about those that roam this world defiling the memory of your brother."

"What are you talking about Kain?"

"I'm talking about those, paladins you have everywhere."Kain shuddered thinking about them."Cannot you see that they are not of the light?And if they are not of the light, then how can they be called paladins?"Kain said with as much anger as he could muster.

"They do serve the light Kain.Only they serve a different light."

"There are only three types of light in my book Golbez, the light of dawn, the light of day, and the light of dusk.Are you saying that these men follow the light that shall bring darkness?"

"One could look at it that way. Though tiss not the light of dusk that they follow.It is the light of the moon that they are following."

"That is the same light that the Dark Knights followed Golbez!What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm creating a perfect paradise for all on this Earth Kain.What are doing?"

Kain reached from behind his back and pulled out his White Spear, and his Dragoon's mask.He placed the mask over his face and said."Stopping you."

***

Dawne traveled through the endless darkness and infinite light that teleporting brought.She thought that the endless parade of colors was beautiful.Then, when she could feel herself nearing her destination she opened the door back into the normalness, back to the world she knew.

Naxos and Phantine were standing there looking at her, Phantine with despair in her eyes and Naxos with anxiousness in his.

"Quickly Dawne," Naxos started."We have to go now, there is at least a legion of guards on the other side of that door!"Naxos said pointing to a doorway quite a ways away.

"Did you succeed?"Dawne asked because she wasn't about to go back to the Tower of Babil without these two's main objective in hand.

"Yes it's right here."Phantine said, sluggishly pulling a red crystal from her backpack.

"Phantine, where's Dekan?"

"I'm not sure, but..."

"Well then we have to get him."Dawne blurted out, she did not wish to abandon him, so that Phantine would live her life in an endless cycle of remorse, self-pity, and depression.

"That doesn't matter," Naxos said."He can take care of himself.He's a big boy."Naxos said mockingly.At that moment Dawne walked straight up to Naxos and slapped him across the face with enough force to leave an imprint there for at least three days."What the hell was..."

"How dare you say something like that?"Dawne shrieked."Don't you have a fiber of decency left in you?Or are you so heartless that you could care less about him and Phantine?"

"All that I meant was..."

"It doesn't matter what you mean, all that matters is what you said.Now we are going to go search for him.Where is he anyway?"

"We aren't really sure, that's why we haven't been looking.All that we know is that he went up to the command center to deactivate the locks down here.We should take the crystal back to Babil before we go back and search for... Dekan."Phantine said holding back both tears and emotions very well.

"All right, but only because YOU think that that's what we should do.And Naxos the next time..." Suddenly, Dawne was interrupted by shots coming through the door that Naxos had pointed at before.The only reaction that Dawne could think of was the teleporting.Within seconds the three of them were inside of the beautiful place of infinticy, as Dawne had come to call it.

Dawne began to bring the two, now unrecognizable forms, behind her to where she knew the Tower of Babil's Crystal Shrine Room was.Something didn't feel right about one of the forms she was taking with her, but at this point she couldn't tell, and as such Dawne ignored whatever it was.

***

Kain took his battle stance staring straight at Golbez knowing that this half-lunarian would be sending everything he could at him.To his surprise though Golbez didn't even move, though within seconds Kain could see why.

A Shadow Dragon had appeared right behind Golbez and was now coming straight at Kain.Kain leaped through the room to meet this unholy creature and let the powers of the wind rip it to shreds.Suddenly Kain felt the dragon's spell of Demolish overtake him, he could feel it the spell trying to rip his body; Kain realized at that moment that he would be dead unless some minor miracle occurred.Though Kain kept flying through the dark air of the room, even as the spell was terrifying him apart.Suddenly, Kain noticed that he had stopped flying through the air and now he was standing atop the Shadow dragon, his spear imbedded in the Dragon's head.

"Hmmm, your skills have improved if anything Kain, and I must say I am impressed."Golbez said mockingly."No one before has been able to resist his demolishing effects.Though that victory will be short lived I'm afraid."Golbez then pointed directly at Kain, and then Kain started to look up to watch the meteo rain down on him, but it didn't. Instead, a wave of pure energy surged from Golbez's hand and at the speed of light, hit Kain on his breastplate, this sent Kain back to the back of the room.

Kain could hardly breath after feeling that much force, but he knew he had to survive; he knew he had to kill Golbez, once and for all.Kain once again flew across the room directing his spear straight for Golbez's head.Kain was surprised when Golbez did not even try to dodge, or try to deflect or send a counter attack at him, before he could arrive.Though this was explained when he hit Golbez's helmet and bounced off, and then hit the ground.

"Ha! You don't actually think such puny things as that can harm me.Don't you get it Kain; nothing can stop me, nothing.As such I believe that you should stop wasting your time with this, and join me.You would make a lovely lieutenant; because you were so good at that before."Golbez said, twisting a dagger in Kain's heart.

"Never again will I make that sin!"Suddenly a key inside of key turned, a box opened and with its opening, many things flew out from it and Kain knew that at the end, hope would be the only thing left.

The fire of rage overwhelmed Kain; he could feel it coursing through him, feeding every inch of him with its power, with its deadliness.Fire and air mixed together and became an inferno within him, a searing storm of death.Death that would soon be turned loose on who ever was in the room.Golbez had no idea.Feeling all of these things, Kain roared and then said."I will atone for my sins!"Then Kain looked at Golbez knowing that he was the cause of misery, pain, suffering, poverty, famine, and slavery"I will atone for my sins.WITH YOUR DEATH!"Golbez had no idea; all he did was laugh at the berserker standing in front of him.

***

Dawne could now sense that she was at the Tower of Babil, and as such, brought herself and her two travelers back into reality.

She opened her eyes and before her was the glass case holding within it, six crystals.Each crystal looked as pure as innocence itself; it didn't matter the color or shape of the crystal for they were all equal.

"Dawne stop staring at those and get over here!"

"What is it Naxos."Dawne said quite fatigued.Though as soon as she turned around she didn't need to hear what Naxos had to say.

Phantine was lying on the floor, blood was everywhere and there were three holes newly formed on her.

"Dawne, do you think you can..."

"Of course, this isn't too difficult for me."Dawne said, and then whispered."I hope."

Dawne knelt down next to Phantine and then she began her arcanic words for a basic healing (which notably was the only kind of healing Dawne knew)."Avom cuileir et onmisaneir eg kweena soo."And with those arcane words chanted, Dawne's hands began to glow white.It was not the purest white anyone had ever seen, and the color did matter, but it was the best that Dawne could do.

Dawne then set her hands on the first of Phantine's wounds, on below her left shoulder, looking close to the lung.As such it was the first to go.The whiteness then poured into the wound and slowly, but surely she could see the walls around the wound regenerating, and regenerating until the bullet inside popped out.Though even after that Dawne continued until the wound was completely closed.

As soon as that was done though Dawne could feel her fatigue.She needed to rest, but if she did Phantine would most surely pass away, and Dawne was not going to let that happen.Not at any cost.

Dawne moved to Phantine's next wound, it was right above the right side of her hip.Dawne did the same thing having the healing whiteness flood into the wound, pop the bullet out, and then close the wound completely.And finally Dawne moved on to the last wound, and healed it the whiteness.

Dawne looked down at Phantine and thought to herself."You will live, and I will make sure that you see your Dekan again."Then Dawne went out like the flick of a light switch.

***

Naxos looked down at the two girls, helpless before him.He wanted so badly to... NO, no he wouldn't do that.He had to suppress what he felt, he had to calm himself.He had to wait till they were awake, and then he would kill them.KILL THEM!No, no he couldn't do that.He wouldn't do that he had to remain calm, remain under control and think about the crystals and the hope of every single person on Earth, all of them, without knowing, they were hoping that he would save the day.That he would rise above, and bring forth death and chaos...

"Damned voices!" Naxos called out."Leave me in peace.Please.I beg of you.Stop tormenting me!"The voices had begun calling out to him now that he was in this chamber, before when he was with the group the first time they all had come inside of this room.Naxos could feel the evil in the voice telling him to do things that he... he... he could do.He could do anything he wished to if he obeyed the voices, he could rule the world like the guardian, power supreme; and all he had to do was follow what the hatred told him to do.

Naxos knew that he couldn't let himself do any of the things the voices were telling him to do.Because of this, Naxos knew that he had to stop himself.So he used his power to put himself to sleep the fastest way he knew how.

***

Kain shot forward at the Golbez, not knowing and not caring about how the man could toss him around like a doll.He was not just Dragoon he was True Dragoon the epitome of honor, order, and loyalty; all of these conjoined now with the powers and blessings that the wind had granted him and the rage of the fiery inferno that dwelled in him.With that combination complete inside of him, all of the physical and mental barriers that all people have inside of them fell and a new power surged through Kain.Indescribable power.

The streak that Kain had formed simply with the wind now conjured fire around it and Kain himself was a ball of fiery death.If Kain could have looked with a conscience mind he would have seen what fright a metal face could show.

Kain hit Golbez dead on and a glorious inferno erupted from the impact.Fire surged throughout the room where they were fighting and it toppled and burned everything that it could.

Kain wasted no time after the explosion had ceased.He looked at the charred figure in front of him and said."Golbez, you are possessed by Zeromus again.Though even if you weren't possessed, you are still going to die."Golbez though had other ideas, he raised up his hand towards the heavens and suddenly the entire top of the tower flew off, and Kain could see both the giant statue of Cecil standing in the center and also the stars and the one dead moon in the sky.Kain simply laughed at Golbez's stupidity, seeing these things brought Kain both a renewed hope, and a renewed sense of duty.Though suddenly some of the stars appeared to be getting closer, and closer.

"Fool, do you not think that I would use every weapon in my arsenal to defeat you Kain.I am the most powerful man, no sorcerer, no immortal; the heavens obey my commands, Kain.The white meteo shall bring your death, as sure as the crystal brought Zeromus his."Golbez insanely yammered out at Kain who was simply looking at the dark sorcerer straight in the eyes."I will rule this world till the end of time Kain.And nothing that you or those pathetic callers or your other friends can do anything about it."

Kain didn't even try to persuade Golbez to stop the white meteo by telling him that it would destroy half the city.He didn't try to heave his lance of the white straight throw Golbez's heart, or head.He did not even try to summon the human fireball he had just created.Instead he knelt down and picked up the shadow crystal that was still floating just above the ground.Kain concentrated on the crystal, focusing every ounce of power he still had in him into it, then while Golbez was still laughing with the knowledge that no one could ever stop him; Kain pointed the crystal at Golbez and said."Acknowledge your sins, and see them again.Now that all evil is your fault, now that all death is your fault, now that all of the pain you have brought to others will return to you, ten fold.Know that you have dishonored the memory of your only brother.Know these things and let the illusions and shadows show you them."Kain said with the calmness and coldness of death itself.

Suddenly Golbez griped his helmet and screamed in both physical and mental pain.Kain knew that what he had wanted him to see, he was now seeing, he was now feeling the sin and the pain, and he now knew the sin and the pain as well.Kain looked up again and saw that the white meteo was still coming, and would arrive within seconds.

With the crystal of shadows in hand Kain leaped into the air, letting the cold breeze carry him away from what would soon be the sight of death, chaos, and destruction.

***

Phantine awoke; she could still feel the bullets inside of her.Though they weren't there, it was as if only the shadows of the bullets remained.Phantine looked at where the bullets should have been, but they were not there.Something new was there though, Dawne.She was lying on Phantine's stomach, exhausted probably.Phantine gently took Dawne's head and placed it onto the ground as she tried to stand up.

Phantine looked to see if she really was in the Tower of Babil's crystal room.She could see the six crystals all atop altars dedicated to their specific element.Though the crystals weren't on the altars, they were inside of a case, and the crystal of fire was inside of her bag.As such, Phantine took the crystal of fire out of her bag and stared walking with it over towards the glass case.Once she reached it she opened the lid and put the crystal inside.

Phantine began to look around the room more, wondering where Naxos was.Suddenly he caught her eye.He was over by the altar of darkness slumped on the altar's stairway and he looked unconscious.Phantine walked over to him and looked down to see if there was anything wrong with him.After turning him over, she noticed a large bump on the back of his head, it looked like a cudgel or club had just come down on the back of his head.This was very odd, very.

***

Dekan could feel the wind and air all around him as it sent him flying towards, towards, towards, somewhere.He did not know where the wind was taking him, and to be quite honest, he did not care.

He could still feel every single bullet wound that had cut through him.Though if he had not known any better he would have said that it felt like the wind was trying to heal those wounds.But that was impossible, the wind could not... Well it was lifting him up and protecting him, and he thought he had heard it talk to him before, so it very well could be trying and indeed succeeding in healing him.

Dekan looked around at the sky and saw that it was no longer day, and he could make out thousands beyond thousands of stars in the sky. It was more then he had every seen in his life, and it was so beautiful, breathtaking really.Next Dekan looked down and noticed that below him a giant city was glowing and sparkling.There was light everywhere down there; Dekan thought he must have been over Mercudia (which lay all across the two-pronged fork of what was mysidia).Though the ocean was nowhere to be seen, very odd.

Suddenly Dekan noticed a figure jutting straight up into the air below him.The figure came closer and closer, and suddenly Dekan could see that that was Kain that had just leaped up into the air.Dekan shouted "Kain, KAIN!OVER HERE KAIN."When Kain reached Dekan's level in the atmosphere he slowed his accent and began to fly towards the North."KAIN, KAIN!PLEASE I NEED YOU HELP KAIN."With that Kain finally noticed Dekan, Kain turned around to see Dekan, though seeing him wanted to make him look away.This was because Kain's face was covered with dried blood; he looked like a green reaper flying through the sky looking for his next victim.

"DEKAN!HOW DID YOU GET HERE SO FAST, I HEARD THOUGHT THAT YOU WOULD BE AT THE TOWER BY NOW OR AT LEAST ON MT. ORDEALS?"Kain shouted though he soon noticed that he didn't need to."Dekan, can you control your flight yet?"

"I don't know.I think so, maybe."Dekan said nervously.

"That will have to do."Kain seemed to say to himself."We need to go over to those mountains before the wind dies down.That and those stars up there start to drop on Baron."Dekan looked up to see what Kain was talking about and saw that the stars looked huge, they must be dropping.

"All right, lead the way Kain.But just so you know I'm pretty shot up, literally, so..."

"Don't worry about that just follow me, if you want to see Phantine again."Now that caught Dekan's attention, and he began to follow Kain.And the wind carried them both towards the Mountains to the north.

***

Kain watched from the sky as the white meteo began to fall all over the city of Baron.Kain knew that it took two people to use the white meteo, once to cast, and one to control.Without another person there to control the power, the balls of pure energy fell everywhere.Explosions blossomed like flowers all over the gigantic city and soon Kain could see the Black Tower being hit again and again.Then one final ball seemed to go straight through the top of the Tower and exploded as it hit the Earth at the bottom that was all the tower could stand.Kain and Dekan watched it collapse and hit the ground, watching that gave him a sense of closure, though he would have to search the rubble of the Black Tower for Golbez's corpse he felt like even if Golbez hadn't died, the reign of the Guardian was over.Kain wasn't sure why, and he wasn't sure how; he was just sure, and that was all he needed.

Kain looked over to Dekan to see how he was doing only to see that he had passed out on the rocky ground."Herbs," Kain said to himself."I need to find herbs, or some kind of aid."

***

When Dawne awoke inside of the Tower the first thing that she saw was Phantine looking directly at her."How long have I been out?"She said as she groggily got to her feet.

"I'm not sure, though I'd wager somewhere around two and a half hours."Then Phantine thought for a second longer and added."Though that isn't counting how long I was unconscious for.You know if your going to have the decency to patch me up, could you at least not be asleep on top of me when..."

Dawne wasn't paying attention to Phantine's bitching, though it was more of mocking, she still didn't pay any attention.Instead she looked over at Naxos,"What happened to him."

"I don't know.But I do know that we should go and get Kain, now."Then Phantine whispered to herself."He's the only man that could ever help me find Dekan."

"That's right, I am so absent minded.Let's see he's probably left the tower by now, so how are we ever going to find him, even when we back to Baron he'll probably..."

"Maybe he left a note by the room you two were staying at, or he could be there right now."Phantine said emotionlessly, then she looked over at Naxos and said."What should we do with sleeping beauty over there?"

"We should wake him so that..."

And on that cue, Naxos' eyes opened and he lifted up his head to look at the two girls standing a small ways away from him.Then he stood up, looked at them and said."I hope you don't mind, but I was doing a bit of eaves dropping, and I agree that we should go back to Baron and find Kain."He then looked at Dawne and said."Do you think you're strong enough to take the three of us there, now?"

"Of course, maybe not back the same instant, but I can take us all there." Dawne said almost triumphantly.

"Let's go then, shall we."And the three of them came together in the center of the room, and Phantine, Naxos and Dawne, began to wink back and forth, in and out of reality.Though none of them noticed when they were leaving, Naxos' eyes had now changed their color to a deep black.

"Those who send reviews shall be karmicly rewarded."

-Kain DeLuman


	14. True form

True Forms

Note: Most persons places and things in this fanfic are probably owned by

Squaresoft inc. so please don't sue.

True Form

Dekan lay bleeding before Kain.The two were still up on top of the mountains north of what had been the great city of Baron.Now though it was the rubble of a minor Armageddon.

Kain did everything that he could to stop the bleeding that seemed to be coming from everywhere on Dekan's body.Kain stopped and looked down at Dekan; he looked so frail and weak, though Kain knew that now this boy had become a man.Not only because the wind had accepted him, but also Kain could feel a presence around Dekan that he had not felt in so very long.Kain's apprentice was now a Dragoon.He now knew the vows, and what the vows meant.This was a great day for the entire world, for another warrior of honor could know roam its surface once again.

Kain knew that the boy would pull through; he knew it for the same reason he knew that Golbez wouldn't be under the wreckage of the Black Tower.One person had told Kain once that Kain's intuition was one of the best they had ever seen, and thankfully they were right.

"Young Dragoon."Kain started."I will continue to train you till the day that you decide to train yourself or that you become true Dragoon.I pray though for this world that that day comes soon, for the world will need all of the help it can get in order to completely throw away the remains of this vast tyranny."Dekan coughed below him and as he coughed a leaf came out of his mouth and was spit out onto the ground."Good that means your health is returning.You will be so much stronger when you wake then, then, you will be able to best a thousand of the best of the Guardians Dark Knights.But, you must retain your innocence Dekan, you must protect yourself from... from... from sin."

***

Dragging Phantine and Naxos behind her, Dawne moved through the infinitum.Soon she felt herself nearing Baron, but even here in the infinitum, she could sense something was wrong with her destination.As such, Dawn moved down towards where she had remembered Kain and her room had been.Nothing was there though.Not the room, or the hallway, or the building itself.Dawne moved through this phantoms path down to the street.The street itself had been ripped apart, and there was rubble all about it.She could also sense large holes that had formed from something besides fallen debris.She then moved to the Tower and found that it had been completely destroyed.Dawne could feel the anarchy and chaos of the people still alive in the city; it was at this point that Dawne started looking for Kain's aura.

Before, when she was in the infinitum, she could always make out Kain's aura.This was because his was like a small sun, next to the candles of normal people.Though Dawne could feel the sun she could also feel that it had moved to the mountains to the north.Dawne dragged her two friends behind her as she moved with intense speed to where she knew the small sun would be.

Off in the distance she could make out the glowing fire, she knew who it was.Besides this, was a smaller fire, though it was almost as bright as Kain's.She had seen this aura somewhere, it almost looked like Dekan's, but that was impossible.At this point Dawne had a feeling that the Guardian and Kain might be dueling, or something and she decided to reform each of her friends' bodies on a cliff ledge near the two brightly glowing auras.

Dawne took her two friends with her, though she dreaded this part of the "traveling" because this brought an end to beauty, an end to glory, and an end to the calming peace.

Their three bodies formed standing on that cliff ledge the exact same way the had been standing back in the Tower of Babil.Dawne looked down and was filled with a joy, she motioned over towards Phantine to come over and look at what she was now seeing.It was miracle.

***

Kain was watching over Dekan, though that wasn't what was occupying his mind anymore.Kain knew that Dekan would pull through especially with the rare medicines that Kain had been able to find within a half-hour of looking.

He was now thinking on what he was going to do about the world.It would surely be thrust into chaos without the one central and omnipresent authority figure.Kain knew though that he could not let that happen, he knew that he had to do something, the only problem was figuring out what.

Kain decided that it would be best to put himself in a meditative state to ponder this, though as soon as he reached his first level of calmness, a voice cried out from above him."KAIN, KAIN."

Then, Kain heard another voice saying."KAIN IS HE ALRIGHT?"Kain abandoned his thoughts and stood up to see his two allies who he knew were above him.

"DAWNE, PHANTINE, GET DOWN HERE SO WE CAN TALK WITHOUT SHOUTING."With that the two of them nodded their heads, almost in unison, and began to walk down a narrow path to where Kain and Dekan were.Kain barely even paid attention to Naxos coming down the path as well.

As soon as Phantine could, she ran to greet her precious; she hugged him till Kain thought the limp body of his would turn blue."You know," Kain said, "That may not be the best thing for him, in his kind of condition."Phantine couldn't even hear Kain; she was far too wrapped up in the joy of her Dekan.

"How did he get here?"Dawne whispered to Kain as soon as she could.

"I'm not really sure.All that I know is that for one, he is now a Dragoon; he was able to understand the oath. And second the wind carried him here, the same way that it carries me from place to place.That is really all I can tell you, for that is all that I know."

"Light!You sound like a philosopher."Dawne said with exasperation.

"Do you wish me to apologize?"Kain asked.Though all he received from Dawne a look to freeze water on a summer's day.

The four of them sat and waited for Dekan to awaken, there was little conversation though, and for the most part either Phantine, or Dawne was asleep.And most of the time both were.The entire time though while they waited for Dekan, Naxos only looked down at the cold earth.

After about three hours Dekan finally awakened from his near-coma like rest."When did everyone get here?"He asked as soon as he saw Naxos, Dawne, and his precious Phantine.

"A few hours ago, though you were asleep then."Kain said in a cold voice.

Phantine looked down at Dekan and then began to cry, and then she hugged him, though he was still lying on the ground.Then she whispered in his ear, "I knew if I made you promise that you would keep it."And at that, they both giggled at what had just been said, and then they kissed.

At this point the other three members of the party began to look away and Kain said to Dawne, who had waken up when Phantine did."This is just like with Cecil and Rosa.I swear some nights in the inns that we stayed at... well I leave the rest to your imagination."

"Hmmm, I read the books on those two like almost everyone inside of the summoned monsters realm.I heard that he was a Paladin of the Light of the Dawn, and sworn off of those types of things.That's why him and Rosa never had children."

'They never had children?!?!"Kain said in a silent exasperation."Rosa was pregnant when I left to... to... find myself.Was that history that you read created before or after the rule of the Golbez?"

"Golbez... what do you mean Gol... Golbez is the Guardian!?!?"

"Yes he is.I think he killed himself with white meteo, but I'm not sure.I plan on checking with all of you, when everyone is well rested."

"You can't take him by yourself, oh almighty Dragoon?"

"I like to have insurance if you don't mind.Besides, if there is going to be a finale battle, everyone in the party is supposed to be involved.Don't you think?"

"Sure why not.Anyway I think it was made after.Though I'd have to check."

"Good that means that Cecil and Rosa's bloodline might still be out here somewhere."With that knowledge Kain could feel a renewed hope within him.

***

Later that day Dawne took the party to Mist in order to rest up and celebrate in their victory.While in the city everyone in the party talked about what they had done, and how hard victory was to achieve, and how good it was that Golbez was probably dead now.Though for almost all the time that the party was resting up, Naxos never said a word.No one thought this abnormal though and because of this Naxos stayed in his room, waiting, watching, and scanning for something.Though everyone but Kain was oblivious to it.

During the afternoon, Kain went up to Dekan's room to talk to him."What's wrong Dekan?Usually you try to put in a word or two here and there."

Naxos only looked at the wall ahead of him; he looked to be in some kind of trance."Naxos!"Kain shook him by his shoulders, and suddenly, Naxos looked directly at Kain.With that Kain looked into Naxos' eyes.Suddenly Kain realized that they were no longer their normal color.Now they were as black as ebony.

"Do you want to guess where I got my new self, Kain?"Naxos smiled and laughed, almost maniacally."The same place you did, 751 years ago.He he he he he."Kain did not have his armor on, nor was he carrying his spear.The only weapons that he had now were his fists and his words.

"Naxos, is Zeromus inside of you!"

"No."

"Is he controlling you!"

"No."

"What did he do to you then."

"He gave me a blessing," Naxos said calmly and with an air of superiority."He opened my eyes Kain.He showed me how foolish you were to not keep his blessing."Naxos paused and looked Kain directly at his soul."He gave me so much power Kain, Power just like that of your past master, he didn't die.Did you realize that yet.Want to guess where he is now?"

"In the rubble in Baron!"

"No, good guess though, because that is where his former shell is."Suddenly Dekan's voice deepened considerable."Hello Kain, miss me."

"How did you, what the hell is going on?You're controlling Dekan, aren't you!"

"Don't you get it yet Kain?Zeromus isn't a person.I am nothing that can be described, though for your puny brain I will try."Naxos, or Golbez, or whomever he was, paused for a second to collect his thoughts and then continued on."Zeromus is like a personality that moves from person to person.I was introduced to the moon when a former shell of mine crashed with an asteroid on that red moon that was yours.Zemus went out to investigate a life form inside of an asteroid that he had just fallen.And guess what happened Kain, Zemus got, infected, if you will.Then after noticing the perfect place to control right down beneath the red moon, Zeromus used the Lunarian's ultra-powerful mind to infect a person down here, on Earth.That person was Golbez, Kain.Then I used that shell's powers to control others without moving into them, this is how I controlled you Kain.Though after I noticed I was losing the war here on Earth I moved back to Zemuses body, though I still had minor influence over Golbez's.Then that Lunarian somehow took away my control from Golbez.Then, after a while, you seven came up and tried to kill me, and you did.Though at the moment of death, I moved into Golbez's shell again.You were all such fools; I can't believe none of you figured it out.You want to know something else though Kain; when Zemus died, I allowed myself to form into the energy that makes up a "Zeromus" that is my most powerful form you know, though not too many are willing to trust something that looks like that.Then when I was hit by the crystal's power, I turned into what I was originally.Can you imagine a whole race of us, just like that?So many are out there, in this Galaxy, Kain.And you cannot do a thing about it, because I am going to kill you.Good night Kain."Kain leaped through the ceiling of Dekan's room in the inn, and the wind carried him up.

Suddenly Naxos leaped up through his room also, and reached Kain's height and said."Flying is such an easy thing to do Kain, but you fly such an easy way, this time I may just infect you, so that I can figure out how to ride the wind like you do."Kain was as close to real fear as he had been in a long time, and he dove through the air to a small green field, Kain didn't need to look back to know that Naxos was following him.

Kain landed and bounced off of the Earth and then he turned to see Naxos make a perfect 10-point landing."Don't fight it Kain, just let me put you to sleep."

"I will not let this world be enslaved by you Zeromus.I am true Dragoon and I am destined to die if necessary to save this world."

"Save it from what, order?Remember our conversation before, that is the thing that our race brings Kain, order."

"Zeromus, I am a creature of order, just like you.But even I realize the evil that your 'order' is creating."

"Good and evil are irrelevant Kain.All that is necessary is order."The air around Naxos then began to turn red in fire."Kain tell me which body to you think is more powerful, this one, or yours."

Kain did not even dignify that with a response. Instead, he leaped through the air and the wind sent him every single ounce of itself that it could to him to fly towards Naxos.And then Kain formed his raging inferno again.And Kain hit Naxos with the force of a freight train.

Something comparable to an atomic weapon went of when the infinite force hit the immovable object.

Kain bounced off of Naxos and landed about fifty feet away.Kain had expelled all of his energy, all of his power, all he could do now was lay in that field and hope that the raging inferno had Naxos, or was it Zeromus; Kain was too tired to think about those kinds of things.

A shadow loomed over Kain, and Kain knew whose shadow it was."That was a magnificent effort Kain, really and truly.This time though I'm not going to try to kill you with white meteo, or allow my rage to explode, or..."

Suddenly three figures appeared out of nowhere, behind Naxos."What the hell is going on?!?!"Dawne shouted.

"Zeromus, in Naxos."Was all that Kain could get out.

"What!"

"Who?"

Naxos talked in his own voice at the arrival of the three "Don't believe Kain, he uhhhh, slipped and on a rock and..."Then his voice went back to a much deeper one."Oh screw it, now the three of you get to die, as well."

Dekan leaped over Naxos's head and next to Kain."Drink this Kain, Naxos said as he handed him a small glass tube."Kain did drink the Elixir, and within seconds Kain stood up and he had regained his power.Then Dekan handed Kain the White Lance and Dekan took out his own spear.One made of the purest silver.The two then leaped across to Dawne and Phantine and all four took their own battle stance against an evil of the greatest magnitude.

"Fools!"Dekan shouted at the party and then Dekan's body collapsed, and a spirit could be seen escaping from it.

"It went to find someone else."Kain said."It's like a parasite, it transfers itself into host bodies whenever necessary.It gains knowledge from those host bodies and takes on their personality most of the time."Dawne then ran over to Naxos to see if he was all right.

"Naxos, Naxos!"She yelled at him, though whether in rage or in sorrow, not even she could say.

"I'm fine, I've got a head ache, but...That thing, where did it go?"Naxos asked with a calm rage.

Suddenly a black fiery, apparation-like form appeared above Naxos.Kain knew that he had seen this thing before."This is Zeromus's purest form," Kain said silently to his party."It cannot be harmed, even by the full fury of a white meteo.That violent hateful energy seems to heal it almost.The only weapon against it is the purest energies of the crystal."

"Fools!This planet is mine!"The form in the air screeched."I will not loose for their are always more people, and every single one of them is a possible host for me.Don't you realize that you cannot win?"

"Those who write reviews shall be karmicly rewarded."

-Kain DeLuman


	15. Sacred Light of the Dawn

Sacred Light of the Dawn

Note: Most persons places and things in this fanfic are probably owned by

Squaresoft inc. so please don't sue.

Sacred Light of the Dawn 

Zeromus then began to quiver and shake, in the air his primal energies could be seen gathering around him, even by the commonest of persons.Then the sky began to darken and bolts of lighting crashed down onto the earth, with the full fury of Zeromus's energy backing them.Soon the lightning was so much and so many, that the thunder of it drowned out all sound on the battlefield.

Then the darkness that was Zeromus stopped it's gathering of energy, looked at Kain's party before it, and said."Such fools, the power of the light is not with this group as it was in the last that came at me.Kain, you should know that I cannot be defeated by this group, it is weak, and almost helpless before my power and might."

"We are not weak!"Phantine shouted and she drew both of her pistols and fired off every round in both at the dark form.Each shot aiming for what appeared to the center of the darkness, each shot hit its mark dead on.Each shot, did nothing.

"Such fools."Zeromus said quietly, calmly.

Then Zeromus sent out the power that he had been gathering.The force was like that of the big bang starting over once again and it was a force that could not even be seen, only felt.Kain, Dawne, Phantine, Dekan, and Naxos were sent back nearly a hundred feet.After the titanic force had subsided no one could stand back up, no one except Kain.Kain simply stood back up from the blast, looked at the corpses of the friends that had supported him throughout his mission.Friends that had helped and been helped by him.They were friends that he had taught the ways of combat, and of war.Friends that had died before his eyes, their bodies tattered and ripped, blood was forming in pools around them.They had died to help save the planet from this evil, just as Cecil, Rosa, Edge, Rydia, Tellah, Edward, Yang, Pallom, Porom, Cid, and FuSoYa had fought for their world, and they had all died now.

Kain screamed out at the top of his lungs and for almost a minute the sound of his rage echoed through out the battlefield.It was a scream to wake the dead, though none of them did awaken, they all continued in their eternal slumber. Kain stopped and simply stared at Zeromus, who stared back at Kain and said."I thank you for that rage Kain, for it empowers me, and makes me stronger.My race thrives of death, carnage, and hatred.And your race's is the best source that I have found.And for that I thank each and every person on this planet."After hearing that, Kain wanted to scream again, but he couldn't.He couldn't do anything to Zeromus, for every act of violence and hatred brought Zeromus power.

Kain dropped down to his knees and plunged his spear of white into the earth.Then he opened his arms to the sky, looked up and said."The light save me, there is nothing I can do but pray."

"The light will save you Kain."A voice from above rang out, a voice that Kain had heard before.Suddenly a sword dropped from the sky pointing blade down it slammed into the earth, right next to the fallen corpse of Phantine.Then, the light in the sky began to gather in certain points.Then when each of these points grew to a size about that of man's head.They would fling themselves down at Zeromus, though Zeromus himself seemed to be in no pain from this.Though as soon as the last ball of light crashed into him, he began to glow.Suddenly the light inside of him exploded in a pure white blaze of purified and sacred energy.

Suddenly, Kain noticed that Phantine had lifted herself up from what was to have been her grave.She looked at the sword and then a voice from the sky said."Daughter of the light.Pick up the sword of sacred crystal, and use it to banish this evil form the world, do this memory of me."Kain now knew whom the voice belonged to.

Phantine picked up the sword from where it plunged itself into the earth.She looked it over and then with the grace of a master swordsman, moved it around herself in a beautiful display of crystalline death.Then she looked at the sword and raised it to the sky.The sword began to shimmer, shine, and radiate the sacred light.Then the sacred light shot up into the sky in a beam of purity and holiness.Soon it began to pour down on to the Earth, each drop seemed to bring restoration and hope back to what looked like a dying planet.It also brought restoration to the bodies lying of the ground.Dekan, Dawne, and Naxos stood up from the ground and looked at their newly awakened bodies and wondered as their wounds closed before their eyes.Even Kain's wounds began to heal themselves, and fade off of him.He could even feel power from the light filling him, he could feel it bringing him the glory of the light, and he could feel its purity and vengeful nature.He looked at everyone in his party, and he knew they felt the exact same way.Then the crystal sword stopped sending it's light into the heavens and soon after the beautiful rain stopped falling to the earth, though in every place that it had touched, life had sprung in that place.

Kain then looked at a new form that had appeared; it was an old and ancient form one that he had seen before.Zeromus's true colors were now revealed to everyone that could see him.He was a hideous demon of death and destruction.Standing nearly 20 feet tall, he looked down at Kain, and his party.Zeromus's great bone covered body began to move towards Kain, almost running; though his legs were far too small too allow him to actually run.The giant demon stopped when it was about 15 feet away from Kain, it then looked down at him and said."When I am in this form, I am in constant pain and suffering.As such, I will reflect that back on you."And with that the demon raised its giant arm and swung it down upon Kain, as a man might try to swat a fly with his hand.

Though Kain had the wind as an ally, and the wind of the Earth new that it had to help its last living allies to victory.It lifted him up through the air and sent him through the space between the great demons fingers.As Kain was lifted up he could hear the screams the demon below him made at his own stupidity for trying to hit him like that.

The next second, Kain noticed that Dekan had joined him in the air and was already dropping down to plunge his silver spear into the heart of the demon of hatred.And below him, he could see both Naxos and Dawne shouting out their arcane words, so loud that every chorus in Heaven could hear the two of them.

"Tragordia in tembla moria, servero e teplaros, inagio a geo, prendre al treere en fue."After the two had finished their chant, a great beast appeared behind them both.It was a Leviathan.Kain knew this as he heard the great serpent lord of the summoned monsters screech and make a sound that could make any man's ears bleed, if he was too close.Suddenly water appeared from nowhere behind the beast, it began to rise, and rise.Soon it was much taller then Zeromus, then it reached almost a hundred feet tall.Then the wall of water sped forward at a speed far too great for it to achieve on it's own.The wave crashed into Zeromus and it pushed him back, and onto his back.It through him about and then pushed him away... but it never touched a member of Kain's party.All of this happened in the space of 5 seconds.

After the tidal wave hit its mark, both Kain and Dekan came down upon Zeromus who was now lying down on his back.Both of them trying to find and then aim themselves, and their spears, at some kind of soft spot on the beast, whose exoskeleton was made completely from a bone as hard as adamantium.When the two of them did hit their mark both of them were able to sink their spears into the bone of the great demon.But Zeromus just looked at them and almost seemed to laugh as it through them both off with great arm.Then it got back onto its legs and looked to see whom to kill first, then it looked at Kain, and decided to charge him.

Suddenly, Phantine rushed the great creature with the sword of crystal drawn and ready to hack and swing, maim and wound.She leaped to find the heart of the alien creature, which was preoccupied with trying to tear into Kain.Phantine leaped up to the Zeromus's chest and swung down and into it.As she swung the sacred blade, it emitted its sacred light, which seemed to follow the path of the blade as she swung it.The sacred crystal blade cut through Zeromus, like a hot knife through butter.

Phantine landed and looked at the blade, which covered with a blue liquid. She moved away as more of the blue liquid seeped down from where she had cut into it.Zeromus felt this, and his scream would have made a banshee sound pitiful.

Then Zeromus just laughed.He laughed and laughed and laughed."One more time."He said and then he began to quiver and shake all over.Kain could feel him absorbing the hate and evil in the world.Kain knew that another blast was coming, but this time he and his party were prepared.

Kain and Dekan leaped from the where they had been flung to, back into the air.Dawne and Naxos wove from their arcane power, what looked to be a force field around them.Though none of this mattered.

Phantine leaped back and shouted at the party."Grant me your strength, my friends!I will use the sacred light to banish this dark soul back to the hell that spawned it."

With that Kain and Dekan dove back down to the Earth where Naxos and Dawne were standing.Kain opened wide his arms and dropped to his knees and shouted out."Phantine, I and the heart and sole of the wind grant you power.I also give you the power and strength of True Dragon.Dien ty uinz, Dien hbain, Dien Yallgr, Task bva omnia mori temble do ya vall ya ua Medus."And with that shout, Kain could feel his strength leave his body, and he nearly collapsed onto the ground.

Hearing Kain's words, Dekan began to swear himself and his power to his precious Phantine."Phantine, I and the heart and sole of the wind grant you power.I also give you the power and strength of Dragoon.Dien ty uinz, Dien hbain, Dien Yallgr, Task bva omnia mori temble do ya vall ya ua Medus... And I grant you my eternal love."

"I grant you my strength Phantine."Naxos shouted out."And the strength of all the Arcane properties that I have control over.And on behalf of the Summoned Ones, I grant you their power."

"I grant you my strength Phantine."Dawne said loudly, yet affectionately, and almost embarrassed at sounding silly."I grant you the power of the Infintium, of the Arcanum, and of all Summoned Ones, whether in the land of the Summoned Ones, or wherever they may live."

With that Phantine looked back to her friends behind her smiled and then looked toward Zeromus and shouted."I have been granted that strength to banish you Zeromus.But just so you know, I have also been granted the strength of my ancestor, who wielded this blade before me.It is the sacred light incarnate.It was made to banish things like you."And with those words she raised the sword once again above her head.The light that was shining off of the sword was now that of a second, third, and fourth sun.Then she pointed the crystal blade at Zeromus and a beam of golden light shot forth from it.The light hit Zeromus, but it appeared to do nothing.

Zeromus laughed at this false effort and said."Fool, are you really that powerful, I think not," The light continued to flow into Zeromus."You are simply a foolish girl that is a descendent of Cecil and Rosa.That reason alone doesn't make you worthy of the sacred light.Mwa ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

Suddenly Zeromus's body began to glow, it almost appeared to be turning gold.But he still did not notice himself.Kain looked up with what strength he had left and would have laughed except that would have given away what was going on.

Zeromus continued to shake, shiver, and absorb the hateful energies.Suddenly both Phantine stopped her beam of sacred light, and Zeromus stopped absorbing his energies."Now, you are all going to die."Zeromus shouted with blind rage and maniacal hatred."And no one will ever try to take this world from me, ever again."Zeromus shot both of his hands out at the party and suddenly he noticed that his hands had changed color to a brilliant gold.

Then, Zeromus's body began to erupt.Everywhere on it, beams of light shot out.And while this was happening a box of pure energy formed around his head."Now parasite, we deprive you from your original body."Kain could not hear the screams that came from Zeromus, but he knew he was screaming."And we deprive you from the outside world, so that you cannot infect anyone else."Kain could see the complete and utter terror in Zeromus' eyes."Your reign of terror is at an end.Know now Zeromus, know now that you have caused this world to plunge into darkness.Know now that for that, the sacred light of the heavens shall banish to you to the burning hells."Zeromus had now been completely decapitated and his head was floating about twenty feet above the earth.The rest of his body was nothing but shambles, with golden light still erupting from it."I do this in memory of all those you have killed, in memory of all those lives that you have made to suffer, in all of those lives that have never known freedom.I do this so that light may return to our world.For this is our world.This isn't your world anymore Zeromus, it is the world of those who were born of it, and created by it."With that Zeromus's head imploded into itself; and inside of the box of energy that once held his head an explosion that could have rocked the entire world onto it's side, erupted.

When the explosion subsided Phantine collapsed and the floating box of energy disappeared.Dekan, Kain, Dawne, and Naxos, rushed over to her side.Dekan went down to his knees and picked her up and then he stood up with his precious in his arms and said quietly to her."I had no idea who you were, now that I do.I'm so happy, so glad, so filled with joy."

Kain looked down at Phantine who had just opened her eyes and said to her."Phantine, I should have seen it before.You are a descendent of my greatest friend.Though now you take his place in history.For before in mine and Cecil's time, he was the one that brought the world out of darkness with the power of the sacred light.Now you are that person, you are the sacred light of the dawn.You have brought us hope, just like that of a new day dawning.Now though, the day is coming, but you must bring it still.For the light of Dawn must fast become the light of day."

Phantine smiled at Kain and said."I will use the sacred light to bring about the Day Kain, but I'm afraid that I may need your help."

"The light will never shine on me again and the wind will never raise me up if I do not help you, Phantine."

Well everyone now that this story is complete (finally) let me ask you a question… do you think this needs an epilogue, and/or would you like me to write a new story with new adventures for these hero's of ours.Please, e-mail me what you think, or just put it in the review that I'm sure you're going to write, thanks in advance.–Kain DeLuman


	16. Epilogue

Epilogue

Epilogue 

Entering the Tower of Babil's crystals room Kain put down, into the glass case, the two missing crystals.With the addition of the last two, all of the crystals seemed to glow brighter and seemed to throb and pulsate light, as if they were one.Kain then looked around at the great room, and remembered just how much it mirrored the crystals room in the lunarian palace."751 years," Kain said to himself."Where has the time gone?"Then he started to remember the faces and smells and sounds from all of those years ago, but he quickly pushed them aside.For viewing them had always been bitter sweet, but know the sweetness was fading, and all that was left behind was the pain of remembering things that he could not change.He didn't care whether he had been forgiven of his sins or not, they were still there.Then a small part within him said, But the First Dragoon said...

No.Another part of himself said, I'm not going to play this game anymore, I'm just going to forget it all and live this day out.And as soon as this day is done, I will forget it too.

"Ready to leave Kain?"Dawne asked; she was standing about 20 feet behind him, so she hopefully had not heard him talking to himself.

"I'm always ready."

"Kain, can I ask you something before we go?"

"Sure, what's the question?"

"I wanted to know... what do you think we're going to do next.I mean, now that the Guardian has been defeated, I can go home, right?"

"You could have gone home at any point you wanted, Dawne."

"That's not what I meant Kain.I was talking about the fact that our job is done now."

"No, it isn't Dawne."She gave him a confused look at that."Why you ask, simple, just because the world has lost its leader, doesn't mean all of the people of the world will suddenly wake up right then and there.No, it's going to take everyone here a long time to realize what was even going on in this world.You have to understand, most people probably don't even realize that they were being controlled and repressed.This isn't a one-step process, this is going to take a long time."

Dawne looked down at the floor and asked shyly almost to herself."What are we going to do about that then?"

"I'm not quite sure yet.The first step is probably on its way towards being accomplished by now though."

"What do you mean?"Dawne said sounding even more confused then she was a minute ago.

"I mean those two that were down in the under dark, I don't remember their names but they've probably already gotten the entire place into a state of rebellion.I don't know how we are going to do it up here though; I mean those dwarves knew that they were being repressed and practilly put in slavery.The people up here have no idea what's going on and because of that, the world isn't going to follow the Dawn like it did Cecil when he formed the Alliance.Back then, Cecil traveled to every nation on the Earth.Every person realized just what kind of man he was, a hero, a warrior and defender of the light.Phantine isn't known... people followed the Guardian with blind faith because they were taught to.And although blind faith would be nice to have in Phantine's corner, we don't have it and besides, to create such blind faith in people isn't the most morale thing to do."

"Yeah you're right, and what about all of those people that were undyingly loyal to him, they won't even believe us.And I know that all those Dark Knights aren't going to bend knee.What are we going to do if they decide to hunt us down, I remember seeing those two almost kill you Kain." 

"Good you're learning."Kain's face almost turned to reveal a smile, but trying to smile with a face of granite would have been easier."I may make true warrior out of you yet."

"I don't want to be a warrior Kain.I want to save the world as soon as possible so that I can help my people; I think coming back is really going to help create more callers like me.I want peace, I don't like war Kain, it wasn't as... fun as I thought it would be."Kain chuckled at that remark; anyone that thought war was fun was either a recruiter or an idiot, or maybe both."And you still haven't answered my question about the Dark Nights!"

"Dawne… don't worry about them; just remember a Dark Night can always be turned into a Paladin.You just need to find the right motivation to turn them."And with that Kain and Dawne began to phase in and out faster and faster until they dissapeared.

***

Naxos looked over the cliff, it had been a hard hike to get up there, but he decided that if the mountains were good enough for Kain to be alone in, they were good enough for him.

The view was beautiful, he could see the entire city of Mist, and now he was glad that the hike had taken him so long, because he had always thought that cities were twice as beautiful at night; he had only seen a couple so far, but the ones that he had seen had never impressed him during the day, only at night could you see what they really were.And the near infinite number of lights glowing as one seemed to mesmerize him.All he did for nearly a half hour was look at the city below him.

"I can almost feel his remains still."Naxos said to himself."It's like having a scar inside of you, that just won't heal up.No, it's not just a scar, it's like a disease, and it's like having corruption in a solid form, inside of you.Just thinking about it makes me sick.At least that demon never made me turn against my friends like it made Kain.No never mind, I don't even have any friends, all of those people... they hate me; and for good reasons too.Who could like someone like me, I'm a sad pathetic man, and the only thing that I can do that makes me special is calling the power of the summoned ones.If I fell off of this cliff no one would care, no one would probably ever notice.I... I'm just so tired too; it wouldn't be too bad to fall asleep would it.The only problem is that I don't know whether this is ever going to get any better.What if it does?What if I meet a beautiful girl, and we get married and have children.Or if I'm the one that is actually going to save this world, what if I'm a child of the light also.You never know whether you are, or are not.I just need... I don't know what I need!"Naxos shouted out at the top of his lungs.Then he stopped and listened to his voice echo off all of the nearby mountains.His voice sounded so gruff and coerce; it was no wonder why no one liked to hear him talk.

"What are you doing up here boy?"Naxos turned around and an old man was standing behind him, he had a gray beard that dropped to his stomach and the only clothes that he wore, were worn, faded, and dirty.He looked quite at home in these mountains.

"Thinking, and I'm not a boy.I'm 21 years old, that may be young compared to you, but then again, I'd wager that you could call nine tenths of the world boy, or girl."Naxos's thought that his own comment was fairly amusing, but the old man only gave him a cold stare."Now please I like being alone so if you don't mind..."

"I don't think being alone is the best thing for you right now.You need to go home and be with your family and friends.Cheer up a bit, you only live once.And that advice you can take from this old man here.I wished I'd lived more when I was young like you."

"I hate my family, and my friends hate me.Being alone is my only sanctuary from the world; and I would hope that you would be nice enough to leave it to me."

Naxos said with more then a hint of bitterness.

"I can see why they would hate you."

"What do you mean?"

"Listen to yourself one of these days, you're always insulting people, I'd wager you never have one nice word to say, all you can do is pity yourself.And I doubt you've ever tried to do anything nice for other people, you're greedy and selfish.And I figured that all out just by talking to you for a minute, now what does that say."

"That you have no idea what you're doing."

"Thank you, thank you for proving my point."

"So what, I'm cynical, just because of that, people have the right to hate me?I grew up and I was taught my cynicism by every bully, every jackass, by every PERSON I came across.I'm not the reason that I'm like this; it's not my fault.The rest of the world molded me into this shape, I barely even had a say in the matter."

"Now you're just making up excuses.Do me a favor will ya."Naxos looked at the man wondering what this favor was.Probably wanted him to bring him food or something like that."Tomorrow when the sun rises, I want you to be happy.For the entire day, just be happy.It may sound strange, but just do it, you'll be glad you did."

"Whatever."And Naxos started to walk away, he could care less what that old man wanted him to do, he lived his life his way.And nothing was going to stop him.

***

Phantine and Dekan were sitting in their hotel room quietly.Phantine was reading a book on the ancient order of light; something founded by Cecil himself.It was designed to fight any and all elements of the dark.It helped make over five hundred people, in it's 200-year history, into paladins of the light.Dekan was on the other side of the room, sitting in a corner, meditating.It was much harder then it looked, thinking of nothing for the entire time while the women you loved and wanted to wrap around in your arms was less then ten feet away.Very hard to do.

"How's the book?"Dekan asked, though that really wasn't what was on his mind.

"Good, did you know that the 'servants' as they called themselves, were sworn to no one or no kingdom, they were trusted to know and to do what was right.Absolute freedom was theirs because the served the light and were willing to serve its every need."

"Oh."Dekan said while he was trying to concentrate on the calm that Kain had always told me would come with a good meditative state.And a good meditative state couldn't be broken by fire or ice, light or darkness, lust or sorrow.

"Dekan."Phantine said, sounding as if she wanted something.

"What is it?"Dekan said, trying to sound calm and patient, because if you could sound that way, then others would think that you were.

She folded up the book with a clap that emitted a small amount of dust."Let's take a walk Dekan, Mist is such a beautiful city, and we've barely seen a tenth of it."

"Okay."Dekan said with a smile.

***

The two of them had started their walk in the morning and after wandering the streets for what seemed like a blessed eternity.When it came to the noon hour the two stopped at the central park within the city; there they sat at one of the benches looking at a large pond.

"Did you ever think that you would be who you are Phantine?"Dekan asked blatantly changing the subject from which they had been talking about before (clothes).

"I always thought I was special, but I never thought that I was the person destined to change the face of the Earth, and to be a reincarnation of the light if that's what you mean."Dekan nodded his head."I always did have an inkling though after I met you that I would change the world, your radical ideas made me think I could change things... and look where we are now, we banished the Guardian, who was actually Zeromus.And to boot, Kain says that I'm going to lead this world into this 'brand new day' he keeps referring to.I have to admit though, it does sound like something I'd like to do.I mean, who wouldn't want to mold the world into their own image?"

"Well I don't know about molding the Earth into your image, but..."

"I was joking Dekan, jease you're as serious as Kain sometimes; I really think he's becoming a bad influence on the spectacular job I've done at making you into the person you are today."Dekan looked at her and gave her a devilish grin.

"My darling, just how 'whipped' do you consider me that I cannot even try to become what I've always dreamed."

"You ARE what you've always dreamed!You're a Dragoon now, but just because Kain is teaching you the ways to fight as one, doesn't mean you have to act like one too."

"Sorry.But I think I'm going to spend a lot more time with Kain soon so I'd wager I turn into a good shade of stone just like him."

"You had better not or... or... I don't know what I'll do, but I'll guarantee that you won't like it."Phantine then paused for a second and thought about what Dekan had just said."Now what do you mean you're going to be spending a lot more time with him?"

"Well you are going to be having your things to do, and Kain and I are going to have the stuff that we need to do as well."

"You don't mean that you're going to train on some freezing mountain for the next 5 years like he did?"

"No, no, no.It's like he said, the best way to gain combat experience, is through combat."

Phantine looked at him and smiled, she knew what she had to do next.She knew that Dekan wouldn't be able to accompany her, but she decided that that wasn't so bad because she knew that he would always come back.Rosa always came back to Cecil, and so Dekan would come back to her as well. 

The End of the First Book of the Light of Dawn

"Those who review, shall be karmicly rewarded."

-Kain DeLuman


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